South Africa: We Are Fiercely Opposed to Education Being Declared an Essential Service but We Support the Proposal to Treat It As an Essential Service

NEHAWU fully supports the South African Democratic Teachers' Union {SADTU} in dismissing the call by the ANC for education to be declared an essential service. This is a half-baked approach in trying to address a myriad of problems that surround the education system. Some of the systemic and operational problems that weigh heavily on our education system cannot be addressed through legislation but require insightful, honest and collective approach by stakeholders.

Declaring education an essential service will be constitutionally flawed and will be in violation of the International Labour Organisation’s classification of essential services. An essential service refers to a service which, if interrupted, would endanger or inconvenience the life or the health of people. Education cannot be therefore declared an essential service.

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