Strike: Schools seek Plan B
23/05/2007 23:11  - (SA)  

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Ilse Fredericks and Ema Buffel, Die Burger

Cape Town - Many schools in the Western Cape were hard at work on Wednesday to put contingency plans into place ahead of next week's threatened public service strike.

Some schools plan to call in parents to help supervise the pupils during the strike, which is scheduled to start on June 1 and is expected to involve thousands of teachers.

June 1 is also the date scheduled for the start of most mid-year exams.

The Western Cape Education Department on Wednesday expressed its concern about the exams and especially about the safety of primary school pupils.

"We are worried that schools won't be safe if there aren't enough parents and teachers to supervise," said Gert Witbooi, spokesperson for the provincial Minister of Education Cameron Dugmore.

"We're also concerned about Grade 12 pupils, because in some subjects their June points count towards the final total at the end of the year."

Witbooi said the WCED had called on parents and controlling bodies to assist them during the strike by supervising at schools.

Principals at primary schools and high schools in the Western Cape were scheduled to meet teachers and controlling bodies to arrange contingency plans.

They agreed that the first prize would be if the strike was averted.

But one of the Plan-B options was to write the exams at a later date.

Teacher union wants unity

Chris van der Westhuizen, headmaster of Tygerberg high school, said the majority of his teachers were members of the South African Teacher's Union (Satu).

They were due to vote on Wednesday if the strike should last for one, two or three days, or continue indefinitely.

The results had to be submitted to Satu on Friday, he said.

He added it was important to achieve unity amongst all teachers.

"In the past, white colleagues have tended to piggy-back on their brown and black colleagues when it comes to salaries and strikes."

Another principal, who preferred not to be named, said if the strike continued indefinitely, parents would be requested to supervise their children at home.

Jonavon Rustin, provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teacher's Union (Sadtu) said that of its 11 000 members who had already voted in the province, 10 500 supported the strike.

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