The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) congratulates the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) for convening its 20th National Conference in Bloemfontein under the theme: “Defending the decorum, values, principles, and hegemony of COSAS.”
We commend the National Congress Preparatory Task Team appointed by the ANC for their gallant efforts in convening the 20th National Conference.
As a union in education SADTU was heartened by the fact that, for the first time in many years, close to a thousand delegates of COSAS gathered in a National Conference to chart the way forward. We were encouraged to see this 45-year-old organisation on its feet, standing strong and united.
We hope the elected leadership will hit the ground running and tackle the ever-increasing challenges facing education. Quality public education is still a pipe dream to thousands of learners in townships and rural schools who are subjected to overcrowded classrooms with poor sanitation facilities and without sporting facilities.
We need a strong COSAS to be vigilant in ensuring the implementation of the Bela Act whose aim is to ensure that every learner in South Africa access education. We need a strong COSAS to ensure that learners have teachers amid budget cuts that threaten the jobs of teachers and all initiatives in place to ensure learner attendance and retention such as the school nutrition programme and school learner transport.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat
CONTACT:
General Secretary, Dr Mugwena Maluleke: 082 783 2968
Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi: 082 709 5651
Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi: 082 719 5157