BUJUMBURA January 17th (ABP) – Unions affiliated to the Special Coalition of Teachers Unions for National Solidarity (COSESONA) lament following a decision taken by the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research Mr. Havyarimana François, to prepare a professional development test for teachers.
According to the vice-president of COSESONA, Mr. Emmanuel Mashandari, the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research blames the teacher standing up as if all the problems that are plaguing the education sector are the work of the teacher. He said it on Friday January 14 during a press conference organized by that coalition.
Mr. Mashandari indicated that the teachers’ unions affiliated to COSESONA denounce the measures taken by the Ministry in charge of National Education related to the methods of organizing the professional development of teachers without there being social dialogue. which recommends the effective involvement of the social partners before any decision that involves the world of work, he explained.
During the exchanges, Mr. Mashandari clarified that the union representatives noted various violations of labor standards in terms of the organization of the professional development envisaged. He made it known that the Minister in charge of National Education did not want to recognize the violation of the law in terms of further training.
He also pointed out that while awaiting a response to the unions’ concerns, the Minister hastened to send a note to the municipal directors of education (DCE) and to the provincial directors of education (DPE) in order to determine the centers for taking said test.
Referring to the most famous quote on social dialogue which says that: “Establishing social dialogue requires effort, maintaining it requires even more.”
The vice-president of COSESONA indicated that organizing such a level test to access professional development for teachers amounts to calling into question the institution that issued the diploma, success in the recruitment test as well as the ratings attesting the level of performance received annually. He further specified that the organization of this test also amounts to calling into question the professional experience acquired by the teacher. He pointed out that this test prepared for the teacher testifies to a lack of confidence in this category of civil servants who are useful in the eyes of senior executives.
COSESONA asks the Ministry in charge of National Education to recognize the efforts made by teachers who devote their lives to the noble mission of educating the children of the country instead of being faced with a so-called level test which concerns French and arithmetic, emphasizing that teachers rather deserve an exceptional bonus.
The coalition also asks that ministry to unconditionally suspend all procedures related to the organization of this test in order to schedule a frank dialogue that is still not evasive with a view to finding effective and lasting solutions and to setting up social dialogue so as not to not trigger a strike action.
With regard to the Ministry having Labor and the Public Service in its attributions, Mr. Mashandari indicated that this one should intervene in the interpretation and in the application of the provisions of the general statute of the civil servants. He did not fail to challenge the teachers to follow closely the evolution of their grievances and take the necessary measures to defend their rights in synergy.
He recalled that the teachers’ unions remain in favor of the regular organization of further training for teachers as stipulated in the legal and regulatory texts which govern the world of work, in this case the general status of civil servants.