Durban - Teacher unions have expressed mixed views on plans to introduce inspectors at public schools.
This comes after the ANC at its national general council resolved on Sunday to fast-track the introduction of inspectors.
Basil Manuel, president of National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa, said he found the resolution peculiar.
“We have a system of people who are overseeing schools,” he said, referring to subject advisers and ward and circuit managers.
“If we want accountability, we must just hold those people to account. If we believe principals are not accountable, make them accountable,” Manuel said.
He said introduction of school inspectors would not solve the problems at schools.
Manuel said principals should be empowered in the management of schools, and then held accountable.
Alan Thompson, deputy president of the National Teachers’ Union, said the ANC would have to spell out what form the inspectors should take, because it was not as if there were no inspectors at schools.
“In the past, inspectors were responsible for all subjects and operations of schools, but, the (Department of Education) decided to appoint subject advisers, ward managers and circuit managers who are paid lots of money,” Thompson said, questioning their value.
Thompson said his trade union had requested a meeting with ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe to discuss education-related resolutions from the national general council.
South African Democratic Teachers Union provincial secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza, said holistic analysis was needed before inspectors were introduced.
Caluza welcomed the offer by the ANC to meet Sadtu on the resolutions taken at the national general council.
Daily News