Speaker, the IFP believes that the primary and basic function of all unions is to care for their members. In education, this means that unions must look after the interests of educators and occasionally contribute to debates on policy. Any other actions undertaken by these unions are questionable and should be seen as meddling.
The IFP views the roles which have been played by some teacher unions, like abandoning classes in order to campaign for political parties, as detrimental to the provision of quality education at schools.
A fundamental question should be asked: Why should a departmental programme need a union buy-in? What happens if unions don't buy in or are unwilling to accept the departmental programme?
These questions must be asked and studied, together with the proposal by the department to give unions funding for teacher development. It must be remembered that some unions in South Africa are more eager to promote party political radicalism and less interested in the promotion of teacher professionalism.
The department must not be seen to be promoting the meddlesome inclination of some teacher unions by sidelining and ignoring the empowerment of district officials who must be the department's first port of call when it comes to the implementation of educational initiatives. [Interjections.] [Time expired.]