Johannesburg - The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) on Wednesday demonstrated against the Annual National Assessment at Cosatu’s elective congress in Midrand, Johannesburg.
Sadtu members carried placards that read “ANA is a futile exercise” and “#ANAMustFall” as they marched around the plenary hall while singing songs against Basic Education Minister Angie Motshega.
The implementation of the Annual National Assessment (ANA) by Motshekga was met with resistance from teachers.
Motshega insists the ANA tests will go ahead in December, which has placed her on a collision course with Sadtu.
“Have you heard the good news... Angie is leaving,” sang Sadtu members before proceedings could begin on the third day of the congress. They were joined and supported by several affiliates such as Popcru, Limusa, Satawu and Samwu.
Sadtu was angered by the Education Department’s decision to overturn its own decision to postpone the ANA tests to next year following disagreements with teachers’ unions.
The teachers cited issues in education that need to be attended to first. The ANA tests were initially supposed to take place in November.
The department set December 4 as the new date for pupils to be assessed.
Five unions in the education sector - the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA), the Professional Educators’ Union (PEU), the National Teachers’ Union (NATU) and the SA Onderwysersunie (SAOU) would hold a press briefing on the sidelines of the Cosatu congress at midday on Wednesday.
The unions want to brief the media on their response to the decision by the department to go ahead with the ANA tests.
AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY