The headline last week “ANA’s to go ahead, despite unions” was unfortunate for many reasons.
The teaching fraternity has many challenges which often include ill-mannered and obnoxious learners and parents, limited resources, complex and sometimes dangerous work environments.
When 5 important and influential unions that represent teachers across the nation stand in unison and speak with a strong mandate, logic suggests the Minister and Department of Basic Education listens.
Since all spheres of education (school governing bodies, school staff and Departments of Education) need each other to mutually benefit, less malice during interaction is in everybody’s interest.
Thus focus on the spirit of our collective outcome is vital instead of focus on puritanical due process.
This collective transcendental outcome is what Jesus of Nazareth came to teach the Pharisees of the Temple who were obsessed with the legal letter but often ignored the spirit of divine teaching.
Thus if educators who seek and struggle to establish discipline and a learning milieu at school are hamstrung by relentless procedural fundamentalism, then our schools will in time become circuses.
In the words of the wise, a circus requires method trainers, a school requires inspired educators.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress