ELRC 202324 Annual Report

EDUCATION LABOUR RELATIONS COUNCIL | 2023/24 ANNUAL REPORT

L EDUCATION LABOUR RELATIONS COUNCI

Early Childhood Development The represented a progress report on the implementation of training and professional development for Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners to the task team, and the report was presented at the Chamber meeting for ratification. The employer reported that 358 schools were affected by a decline in learner numbers, resulting in the need for 399 additional teachers in the system. Educator Development The Employer presented a report on the New Teacher Induction Phase-in programme (NTIP) to the task team, ratified at the quarterly Chamber meeting. The programme aims to provide support to new teachers in their roles and help them adapt to new workplace culture. The programme will target graduates who have completed their professional qualification (REQV 14) for the first time, foreign teachers who are new to the profession, foreign teachers who served in their country of origin, South Africans who obtained teaching qualifications in other countries, and teachers returning to the profession after not teaching for five years or more. The one-year programme will be piloted in the Sedibeng West district before being rolled out across the province. Educator Resourcing The Employer presented a progress report on filling of posts and translation of temporary educators at the task team meetings and the reports were ratified by the quarterly Chamber meetings. Approximately 3 889 qualifying educators were identified for conversion, with 2 382 successfully converted. The employer reported that the remaining 1 507 were carried over to Term 1 of the 2024 academic year. A draft Circular on the recruitment and selection of temporary PL1 educators and therapists was ratified by the Chamber and awaiting approval. Strategic Planning Workshop The Gauteng Chamber held its annual strategic planning workshop in Mpumalanga from 22 to 24 November 2023 to develop an annual performance plan and budget for the next fiscal year (2024/25). The budget was adopted and ratified in a special Chamber meeting on 12 January 2024. Workshops The Chamber held three capacity-building events during the period under review. A workshop on the Procedure for Incapacity Leave and ill-health Retirement (PILIR) was held on 21 February 2024 for task team members. The employer presented new strategies aimed at dealing with grievances emanating from PILIR cases. Furthermore, on 29 February 2023, negotiators serving in the Gauteng Chamber attended a workshop on the ELRC constitution. Lastly, a symposium on Corporal Punishment was held on 15 March 2024. The employer presented a report on the prevalence of corporal punishment in the last five years. The Employer expressed concern that 538 educators were found guilty with ten dismissed, 150 suspended, and 377 fined for administering corporal punishment. Labour parties committed to working with the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to reduce the number of corporal punishment cases. However, there was a general concern about how the GDE dealt with these cases. Labour Parties called on the Department to administer disciplinary actions in a fair and reasonable manner. The Chamber committed to exploring alternative methods for educators to discipline learners without facing charges for corporal punishment (assault).

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