Pretoria - As the 2012 school year gets underway today, the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) says it will make the training and development of teachers its main focus this year.
"We believe training and development of teachers is the key in delivering quality education and we will engage with the Ministers of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training to implement the agreed upon national strategy for teacher development," Sadtu's General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, said in a statement.
Sadtu commits to put into operation its institute for professional development to provide quality training programmes for teachers and education workers as well as addressing some of the ethical issues in the training of teachers.
The union, whose majority of its members work in under-resourced rural and township schools, has also reiterated its commitment towards the delivery of quality education through the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign, which calls on all stakeholders to jointly take responsibility for improving the quality of education.
Maluleke said their members will be fully prepared to carry out their tasks from the very first day of school. However, he stressed that teachers could not do it alone without the involvement of all stakeholders.
The schools' governing bodies, parents and learners have also been challenged by Sadtu to commit themselves to making 2012 a success.
"As part of our strategic goal to create a learning nation, we call upon our parents and community based organisations interested in education to help our schools to be drug-free environments and ensure maximum discipline by learners.
"We are convinced that by working together - holding each other to account and striving for improved quality in the system - we can further build on the encouraging 70.2 percent 2011 matric results," said Maluleke.
The union said it would do all it could to support schools that performing poorly.
During the release of 2011 matric results, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that the department would focus on four areas including improving the participation and performance of girl learners; helping schools to improve learners' subject choices; ensuring the correct placement of teachers and focusing teacher development efforts on subject and pedagogical content knowledge.
