Cape Town - Teachers’ unions and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) have joined forces to convert contract teacher appointments to permanent staff if they qualify.
The agreement was reached at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) between the WCED, SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa).
WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, said: “As a result of the ELRC settlement, the WCED will continue doing what it has already been doing to date, which is to convert contract staff appointments to permanent appointments if they qualify for conversion.”
Hammond said since January, over 5 200 contract appointments were converted to permanent appointments in qualifying posts.
“Conversions are considered when a nomination has been received from a principal.”
She said the department is currently working on 1022 nominations that were received for consideration.
Both Sadtu and Naptosa celebrated the agreement as a victory, stating it would bring stability to the education sector.
The unions approached the ELRC after the WCED announced that it would not be renewing the contracts of 2407 teachers in 2025 due to budget constraints, caused by a nationally negotiated wage agreement. Naptosa provincial head, Riedwaan Ahmed, said the process of conversion of all eligible contract educators will be finalised by no later than November 15, 2024.
“Naptosa continues the fight for quality education,” Ahmed said.
Sadtu provincial secretary, Sibongile Kwazi, said if the union had not challenged the interpretation and application of the appointment and conversion of temporary teachers, they believe the contract teachers would have been the first casualties of the 2025 teachers cuts.
“While this is a victory for the union and contract teachers in the province, there is an obligation on the contract teachers to ensure their schools upload to e-recruitment all the necessary documents to facilitate the conversion process as a matter of urgency.
“School principals are also expected to cooperate to save the jobs of the contract educators and ensure that they become permanent.”
Leader of the opposition in the legislature and spokesperson for the ANC Western Cape, Khalid Sayed, welcomed the agreement.
“The ANC commends the teacher unions’ steadfast commitment to the matter. The conversion of temporary educators, aligned with the ELRC Collective Agreement 4 of 2018, is a significant victory for educators.
“Schools are urged to immediately act on this agreement, ensuring that substantive vacant posts are filled by those currently on contract.”
Cape Argus