Get tested for HIV, says Zuma
2006-09-01 21:42
Johannesburg - Jacob Zuma on Friday urged people to get tested for HIV/Aids in order to deal with the pandemic.
The former deputy president addressed the national congress of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union.
"I advise that we should add a letter to the ABC (Abstain, Be Aware, or Condomise) and make it ABCT. Testing must also be as important as the other three letters."
Zuma called on teachers to ensure that the unfinished business of making education meet the goals of the Freedom Charter was carried out. He said the conference was re-opening a major debate in the liberation movement.
"You are asking the question - how far have we come since 1994? How far have we achieved the goals of a Peoples' Education? Have we been able to concretise the demands of the Freedom Charter for free and equal education for all? And if not, what must be done to get back on track?"
Zuma encouraged delegates to debate these and other issues vigorously and stressed his support for the united tripartite alliance.
"Comrades, there is nothing wrong with dissent and debate - we thrive on it," he said.
"It is our culture and defines how we have grown to be strong. We start by recognising the ideological, class and political differences that exist and then - as comrades - we debate.
"This is what we did in the heat of the struggle against the apartheid state. We can certainly do this in the post 1994 democratic state. This is how we grow stronger."
Zuma called on teachers to reject bureaucratic methods of suppressing debate.
"We have to guard against over-centralisation of power. We come from a tradition of democratic centralism, but we need to emphasise that the 'democratic' is as important as the 'centralism' in this formulation.
"When we debate as comrades, we are seeking consensus - so that positions and policies become the property of the movement not of any one individual."
Adult Basic Education
In his address that ended with the singing of the song awuLeth'Mshini Wam, Zuma said that in the alliance, the African National Congress should not use its partners for its convenience or vice versa.
Zuma stressed that the principles of the Freedom Charter needed to apply to the Adult Basic Education and Training (Abet) programme.
"Today, it is estimated that there are some 12 million functionally illiterate adults in South Africa.
"Yet Abet remains a marginalised area in terms of budget, and in terms of the commitment of teachers to implement it. When you marginalise Abet, you marginalise the working class and the poor."
Zuma said South Africa should learn from the example of Mozambique.
"The ruling party, Frelimo, adopted a policy of a massive plan which saw almost every adult going to night school to educate themselves. This dramatically improved the literacy rate. It can be done.
"It is not the fault of those 12 million in our country who are functionally illiterate and we have to do everything possible to right the wrongs of our oppressors."
The congress, which ends on Saturday, demanded Zuma's presence with delegates saying that "by hook or by crook" he should address them.
Speaking after Zuma's address, Education Minister Naledi Pandor encouraged delegates to discuss ways of sharing expertise among schools to apply the national curriculum.
"Many teachers who are not succeeding complain the new curriculum makes learning and teaching difficult."
She pointed out that Sadtu had been part of the process of implementing it.
- SAPA