Teachers strike is a worse choice Always appreciate what you have, there is someone who wishes they had what you have. It is really that simple. If learners’ achievement is the top priority of our public education system, a teachers’ strike would never happen. No one can seriously argue that students benefit when teachers withdraw their services - Sadly, students that have nothing to do with them.
The current dispute between the ministry of education and teachers’ union in the province is a case in point. Earlier this year the teachers union demanded 8% increase in their salaries where and government could only increase by 5%.
Unsurprisingly, teachers union expressed dismay at this erosion of their collective bargaining rights with the teachers union recently ordering its members to withdraw from duties and refuse supervision duty outside their classrooms.
To be clear, the government isn’t exactly faultless in this matter. In fact, in the previous years of its mandate, the government did everything it could to favour the teachers union - Generous pay increases and improvements to benefits.
The teacher’s union escalation of the problem with threats of strike action and withdrawal from extracurricular activities has learners caught in the middle of a political squabble.
They lose valuable teaching time and miss out on typically enriching extramural activities.
Removing the right to strike from teachers is in the best interest of all concerned – Instead of worrying about whether there will be school next week or not.
Strikes do more damage than good: The economic repercussions of this cannot be overstated and also the educational impacts, if teachers want more from the government’s pot of money, how does emptying the pot assist? Secondly the power of such unions can be regarded as a monopolistic power and whilst thought to be damaging to the economy, is in this instance deemed perfectly acceptable, but why? Thirdly the common argument that “we have the right to strike” is a blatant lie.
The police force is completely banned from such action, because “it is essential to society” and the military also have massive restrictions, therefore some have been denied this right so it is not a basic right.
Lastly, the recession has hit all of us, there’s no point denying it, all of us want better pay, pensions etc, but we do not have the power to get this (unless we happen to be the leadership of the national teachers union and grant ourselves a 8% pay rise), yet the teachers complain the most, so let’s take this together, let’s not attack the Government to achieve a pay increase, how can it possibly be considered fair?
Teaching is still a respected profession, but unions give teachers a bad name. The unions are the problem, not the teachers. Unions protect those who are less than stellar performers, simply because they pay monthly membership fees to the union. Many teachers go on strike, simply because the union majority says so.
First, examinations have started, despite little or no learning or writing of exams taking place. By the time government ordered all schools closed, weeks had been lost. And although learners in class were asked to stay behind, who has been teaching them?
Economy effect: Primarily, not only has the education sector experienced disruption in this year’s third term schedule which will in turn cause a wave of effects into next year’s plans, but it will also experience poor performance in the scheduled end of year examinations as the students have not been taken through the entire exam curriculum. Therefore, the Namibia National Examination Council may have to shift the previously selected final exam dates, which may require unbudgeted emergency funding to implement.
The depreciation of money has raised production costs and made their books uncompetitive.
This coupled with the effects of the current education sector crisis which has seen fewer parents, schools and book distributors making purchases, has heavily affected the publishing sector, which heavily relies on the stability of the education sector for sustainability.
In addition, the retail sector has also been greatly affected.
Suppliers of school equipment for instance will have to wait until schools officially reopen so as to receive payments on already delivered goods such as stationery, furniture, lab equipment, food items (which will most likely go stale if not properly stored or consumed before expiry), water and energy.
Other interrelated sectors such as the transport industry where most of youths are employed will also be affected, because the usual number of expected commuters during the school term has drastically been reduced on an indefinite basis.
The clothing and textile industry will also experience the pinch as fewer parents purchase uniforms and shoes during this period.
The employment sector will also receive a blow as the many casual labourers and non-teaching staff employed by these schools on a daily or contractual basis will have to be relieved of their duties until further notice, this means that many more households will experience challenges in getting their daily bread and butter – no matter how meager.
Lastly, Schools and parents will equally experience some loss of hard earned money as legally binding contracts still need to be honoured even though the school is not in session.
For example payment terms on workers contracts must be honoured, bus and lunch fees already paid cannot be refunded yet this money would be useful in sustaining the idle children.
Even without taking out your calculator and adding up the losses, it is evident to see that a lot of time and resources have gone to waste – And unless we rise to the challenge and solve this issue as soon as possible as a nation, we will pay for this strike for a long time to come. ?