Union warns private schools
A union representing teachers claims that some private schools are guilty of gross transgressions of the Labour Act.
JEMIMA BEUKES
The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) intends to clamp down on fly-by-night private schools that allegedly exploit foreign teachers for cheap labour.
According to TUN secretary-general Mahongora Kavihuha, his office has been inundated by complaints from foreigners employed at local private schools.
They are allegedly required to undergo full medical check-ups before their contracts are renewed. Others complained that their employers threatened to report them to the police for not having work permits if they dared join a trade union.
“Many private schools and private vocational education training institutions turn to hire the vulnerable educators such as foreign teachers who do not have papers, and young under-qualified or retired educators, for the purpose of oppressing, humiliating and threatening them (sic),” he said.
According to him, a common threat used by these school managers is: “We are connected and will make sure you are taken care of.”
Kavihuha added that some of these teachers live in deplorable conditions, “worse than a security guard”, because of the low salaries they are paid.
He said because private schools are subsidised by the government, they must be held accountable and cannot be allowed to “enslave” workers in their quest to make a profit.
“We are now going on some campaigns which include the involvement of police to enter private schools and other learning institutions and apprehend the foreign educators without relevant papers. We will also try and engage the ministry of labour for a minimum wage in the education sector, especially for educators, and to assess how accessible these private schools are for education graduates,” he said.
The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) intends to clamp down on fly-by-night private schools that allegedly exploit foreign teachers for cheap labour.
According to TUN secretary-general Mahongora Kavihuha, his office has been inundated by complaints from foreigners employed at local private schools.
They are allegedly required to undergo full medical check-ups before their contracts are renewed. Others complained that their employers threatened to report them to the police for not having work permits if they dared join a trade union.
“Many private schools and private vocational education training institutions turn to hire the vulnerable educators such as foreign teachers who do not have papers, and young under-qualified or retired educators, for the purpose of oppressing, humiliating and threatening them (sic),” he said.
According to him, a common threat used by these school managers is: “We are connected and will make sure you are taken care of.”
Kavihuha added that some of these teachers live in deplorable conditions, “worse than a security guard”, because of the low salaries they are paid.
He said because private schools are subsidised by the government, they must be held accountable and cannot be allowed to “enslave” workers in their quest to make a profit.
“We are now going on some campaigns which include the involvement of police to enter private schools and other learning institutions and apprehend the foreign educators without relevant papers. We will also try and engage the ministry of labour for a minimum wage in the education sector, especially for educators, and to assess how accessible these private schools are for education graduates,” he said.
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