Council of Education Ministers’ meeting supports new offer to unions
Cape Town, 20 November 2007
The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor and the provincial education MECs met yesterday in Cape Town for the final Council of Education Ministers’ meeting for the year.
The Council remains committed to implementing the Occupation Specific Dispensation for teachers from 1 January 2008 as planned, and urged the Director General to continue negotiations with the unions.
On 25 October 2007 the Minister met SADTU and NAPTOSA at their request to discuss the issue. Both organizations presented their positions and subsequently departmental and union officials met to discuss a range of concerns in a series of meetings that took place over the past three weeks.
The Council supported the amendments Minister Pandor has made to the government offer to the unions on the occupation specific dispensation.
“I am confident that these proposals have the support of the majority of teachers. All good teachers have reason to support them,” said the Minister.
The meeting also discussed the key national policies of no-fee schools, the Quality Improvement, Development Support and Upliftment Strategy (QIDS UP), FET college recapitalisation, and the national curriculum.
Council approved a programme to reward “schools that work”, which are schools that succeed in retaining learners as well as achieving good senior certificate results. Rewarded schools will receive extra facilities and resources to encourage further development. This plan will begin with secondary schools, but will be implemented in primary schools once there is a credible testing regime in place.
The Council also agreed to implement a proposal on teacher incentives. Incentives will be tagged to posts that are hard to fill, in rural and urban areas, as well as scarce-skills posts. The aim is to ensure that qualified teachers are attracted to such schools, which often serve the poorest learners.
Matric results for 2007 will be released on 28 December. The results and the ministerial matric statement will be available early in the morning of the 28 December in the press, after which the Minister and the MECs will be available for interviews.
In closing the meeting, the Minister thanked Deputy Minister Enver Surty and the MECs for their commitment and contribution throughout 2007.
Editors’ Notes:
Minimum and maximum salary notches for the OSD salary structure in 2008
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|
|
|
Career path
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Minimum salary
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Maximum salary
|
|
General classroom teacher
|
|
|
|
Teaching assistant
|
51,993
|
51,993
|
|
Teacher Intern
|
85,937
|
85,937
|
|
Assistant Teacher
|
85,937
|
85,937
|
|
Teacher M+1/M+2
|
51,993
|
81,004
|
|
Teacher M+3
|
85,937
|
99,625
|
|
New entrant
|
115,492
|
115,492
|
|
Teacher M+4
|
118,957
|
264,238
|
|
Specialist (school-based)
|
|
|
|
Teaching and learning specialist
|
169,605
|
365,768
|
|
Chief teaching and learning specialist
|
190,891
|
399,684
|
|
Management (school-based)
|
|
|
|
Head of Department
|
146,302
|
365,768
|
|
Deputy Principal
|
174,693
|
399,684
|
|
Principal P1
|
146,302
|
324,980
|
|
Principal P2
|
169,605
|
365,768
|
|
Principal P3
|
208,592
|
424,025
|
|
Principal P4
|
241,816
|
436,746
|
|
Principal P5
|
297,403
|
449,848
|
|
Specialist (office-based)
|
|
|
|
First Education Specialist
|
146,302
|
365,768
|
|
Senior Education Specialist
|
174,693
|
399,684
|
|
Deputy Chief Education Specialist
|
214,850
|
424,025
|
|
Chief Education Specialist
|
288,740
|
449,848
|
|
Circuit Manager C1
|
214,850
|
424,025
|
|
Circuit Manager C2
|
288,740
|
436,746
|
|
Circuit Manager C3
|
334,729
|
449,848
|
Issued by the Ministry of Education
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
012 312 5538
082 556 0446
ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za