Warning of ‘collision’ over writing of ANAs

Francesca Villette

THERE will be a collision between the department of Basic Education and teacher unions should the Annual National Assessments (ANAs) go ahead, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) warned yesterday.

At a joint press conference of Cosatu-affiliated unions in the city, Cosatu’s provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich called on pupils to resist participating in the assessments.

Ehrenreich said pupils should be asking for better-resourced schools, smaller classes and better-quality education, instead of writing the ANAs, which the department spends about R200 million a year to roll out.

Sadtu provincial chairperson Jonovan Rustin said its members were adamant that they would have no involvement in the exams, and that there would be a collision, come December.

“Teachers have indicated that they would not participate in the ANAs, this includes invigilating and marking of scripts. They will remain strong and unified, and if the assessments go ahead in December, the will be a collision of paths.”

Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said there would only be a collision if the members who boycotted became violent or intimidated those who decided to participate in the assessments.

“Some of Sadtu members contacted (the department) and said they would go ahead with the ANAs,” Mhlanga said.

Earlier this month, the department announced the assessments would be written in February next year. Last Friday, it said they would take place from December 1 to 4.

The annual assessments, which test literacy and numeracy levels of pupils from grades 1 to 6 and Grade 9, are diagnostic tests intended to measure pupil performance and provide insight into which areas are in need of additional support. Several other teachers’ unions are unhappy with the ANAs.

francesca.villette@inl.co.za

@FrancescaJaneV