PoliTeknik
MEMBERS:
Renny Somnat
The South African Democratic
Teachers‘ Union – SADTU
Sidney Kgara & Barry James Mitchell
National Education, Health and
Allied Workers‘ Union – NEHAWU
Prof. Rasigan Maharajh
Tshwane University of Technology
Prof. Martha Matashu
The North West University
Zeynel Korkmaz
PoliTeknik Magazine
Ajay Lachhman
Mauritius Trade Union
Congress (MTUC)
Kaganizo Mutesasira Evans
Uganda Liberal Teachers’ Union – ULITU
In summary, the meeting agreed on the following:
i) Emphasizing the importance of the pilot project in the South African context (the extension of Article 26/ placing human rights in education) and locating it within the context of our historical struggle against colonialism-apartheid.
ii) Locating the RSA pilot project within the broader struggle for extensive UN reform.
iv) To establish a road map and framework for the implementation of the pilot project, this includes setting dates, context, assigned tasks and a programme for 2025.
The meeting, therefore, agreed on the following framework and time frames:
December 2024
• To secure an engagement with the relevant COSATU officials
• To broaden our engagements with identifed and other progressive academics, unionists and groupings;
• To draft a brief position paper on the RSA pilot project context, objectives & 2025 conference by calling for the submission of papers.
January 2025
• Convene a small working group with the RSA pilot project task team, academics, education professionals and unions focusing on June Conference and broader strategic planning.
February – March 2025
• Coordination Committee concretises planning and programme for the June Conference.
• Requirements: Invitees, programmes, theme, objectives/ outcomes of Conference, logistics and resourcing.
April 2025
• Deadline for papers submitted.
June 2025
• RSA Pilot Project Conference
• The significance of June in the RSA context of June 16th Youth Uprising, the struggle against colonial-apartheid education, the call for People’s Education for People’s Power.
In solidarity
Barry Mitchell
NEHAWU
TASKS of the COORDINATION TEAM
a) Creating a list of the RSA democratic mass organizations who shall become members of the RSA-NAAC.
b) Drafting and sending the invitation letter for RSA democratic mass organizations to join the RSA-NAAC. Different methods can and must be tried to sensitise the organisations on the list. Calling them directly, getting confederations involved, asking for support from the ministry, press statement on national level etc.
c) It ensures that the first meeting is a hybrid meeting, providing an overview of the purpose of the project and the implementation of the RSA-PILOT.
d) Establishment of a TEAM of EXPERTS (PILOT-TE) to identify initial discussions to be addressed by the RSA-NAAC. After identifying the initial subjects, PILOT-TE plans a series of meetings and invites representatives of democratic mass organisations. All fundamental topics to be addressed for the modification of Article 26 will be determined after the RSA-NAAC CONSTITUENTS come together.. This will ensure a genuine representation of the demands of democratic mass organisations in South Africa.
THE TEAM of EXPERTS (PILOT-TE)
a) EXPAMLE: The PILOT-TE invites to a first presentation on the Human Right to Education at SADTU Headquarters. 2nd presentation at the University of Johannesburg on the History of Education in South Africa and Current Challenges.
b) The PILOT-TE puts into a planning the discussion proposals of democratic mass organisations on the extension of the right to education. What is meant by planning here is where, when and by whom the subjects will be organised. This also includes public relations work on how to ensure mass interest. The PILOT-CT will always be on site to ensure the best possible way of creating this structure.
