POST SADTU NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
The National Executive Committee ( of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union
( held its last ordinary meeting for the year from 11 to 13 December 2025 in
Johannesburg, Gauteng. The NEC manages the affairs of the Union and comprises national
offices bearers, provincial chairpersons, and secretaries.
As this was the final meeting of the year, the NEC adopted the budget and programmes for
2026. The meeting too k place during the Reconciliation Month in South Africa and coincided with the anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Right ( adopted in 1948.
The NEC discussed a broad agenda, including organizational, educational, labour, political
and other matters.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
2025 National Senior Certificate (Matric) Examinations and Marking:
The NEC acknowledged with urgency that overall, the 2025 National Senior Certificate
generally proceeded well in terms of examination administration. However, the examination breach in Gauteng was acknowledged with urgency with the NEC stressing that this incident should not compromise the overall integrity of the examination. The NEC flagged issues of serious concern in these examinations. They included:
Learners struggling to cope with exam anxiety and stress leading to transgressions in
examination rooms.
A high number of cases of learners falling ill and not being able to write, others writing in
hospital and others unable to complete their examinations.
The disturbing practice by some schools preventing learners from writing examinations due
to poor academic performance in order to protect school pass percentages. The NEC
strongly condemned and vowed to fight against this conduct and demanded immedia te
action for consequence management for principals and departmental officials found guilty
of this. No learner must be denied their right to write examinations.
The NEC reaffirmed with conviction the Union’s position of discouraging high stakes in the
matric exams and the euphoria which causes unnecessary pressure on learners. A firm foundation on well resourced early childhood education will guarantee good results instead
of late interventions in matric.
Coding and robotics:
The NEC voiced strong dissatisfaction at the incremental implementation of Coding and
Robotics in 2026 for Foundation Phase. While acknowledging the value of the programme, the NEC acknowledged with urgency that limiting implementation to schools that meet the School Readiness Criteria will further entrench inequalities in the education system as
poorly resourced schools will be disadvantaged.
Other critical concerns include inadequate guidance from the Department of Basic
Education (DBE on implementation leading to confusion in the se ctor S ome provinces did
not implement coding and robotics effectively due to lack of funding and support structures
and lack of teacher training and support.
Promotion and progression:
The NEC welcomed and embraced the National Assessment Circular 1 of 2 025 which guides implementation of promotion and progression and provides for mark adjustment,
concessions, accommodation, and condonation. to support the promotion/progression of
learners who are struggling to meet the minimum requirements of the existing policy on
promotion and progression. The NEC supports this as the existing DBE policy was too rigid,
creating bottle necks across grades. Schooling is not meant to make learners fail but is about assisting them to reach their full potential.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) School Readiness Report:
The NEC acknowledged with urgency the 2025 South African Human Rights Commission
(SAHRC) School Readiness Report which raised alarm about the state of public education. It identified school infrastructure as the most urgent national crisis, highlighted textbook and
learning material shortages, disparities between well-resourced urban schools and rural and
township schools, and unacceptable conditions in school hostels.
The report reflects a failure of service delivery and a violation of learners’ constitutional
rights.
The NEC resolved that the Union must establish a task team to analyse the report and use
the information to strengthen SADTU’s posture around the challenges raised in the report
and demand urgent corrective action from the DBE.
LABOUR MATTERS
The Early Retirement Programme:
The NEC received a bargaining chamber report on the progress of the Early Retirement
programme which targets employees aged between 55 and 63 offering financial incentives and early pension without penalties. Concerns were raised regarding provinces reporting financial difficulties in paying for capped leave and resettlement costs related to the programme. The employer assured Council that measures were in place to mitigate the challenges, including filling teacher posts and preventing financial collapses in education departments. The NEC emphasised that Provincial treasuries must be included in Early Retirement Programme implementation to avoid financial collapse in education departments.
Upgrading qualifications for Grade R Practitioners:
On DBE UNISA ETDP SETA partnership to upgrade the qualifications of Grade R
Practitioners, the closing date fo r applications has been extended to December 19, 2025,
with registration commencing from January 7 to March 20, 2026. The NEC acknowledged
with urgency that UNISA has rejected some practitioners due to limited space and some
applicants not meeting the mini mum requirements. The DBE has been requested to engage other institutions higher learning to accommodate those who were rejected by UNISA due to capacity constraints.
GEMS 9.8%increase:
The NEC reaffirmed with conviction organised labour’s strong rejection of the 9.8% GEMS
contribution increase and criticized the lack of respect shown by GEMS in engagements with the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council ( GEMS was instruct ed to consult
actuaries on reversing the 9,8% decision and report back to PSCBC by 12 December 2025.
The Joint Mandating Committee continues to engage the board of GEMS on all irritations
and challenges raised by members. We intend to meet the Minister of Public Services to
address some of these. The Union will continue to update members on any developments
around GEMS.
SCHOOL SAFETY
The NEC raised serious critical concerns about increasing incidents of learner violence
against educators and acknowledged with urgency that educators are not covered under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) for such incidents
The Department has constitutional and international obligations to protect educators.
The NEC resolved to engage the Ministry of Labour to extend the coverage of the
Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) to include educators who are injured due to learner violence. Alternatively, the Department should procure a Group Personal Accident cover for these educators, or the Department should self-ensure using appropriated funds to cover damages not incidental to the educator’s occupation.
Further, the Union demanded immediate action for strengthened safety regulations including expanded search powers, parental accountability, transport safety measure, compliance with pupil-teacher ratios, emergency alert tools for educators, clear protocols for learner protests, departmental liability for injuries during school related activities and
mandatory risk and legal compliance systems in schools.
ALLIANCE AND POLITICAL MATTERS
The SACP:
The NEC deliberated on the SACP’s decision to contest elections and its implications for the
Tripartite Alliance and the National Democratic Revolution.
The NEC reaffirmed the Union’s resolution to convene a Special Congress in 2026, prior to
COSATU’s National Congress, to determine the Union’s strategic direction. The union has long resolved that the if the SACP takes the decision to contest the election, a special
congress must be convened to allow members to decide on political direction it must adopt.
In the interim SADTU has an existing resolution to support the ANC in the elections as
resolved in all the national congresses of the Union.
The NEC underscored the importance of unity and the sacrosanct nature of the Alliance and
demanded immediate action for it to be strengthened. The NEC endorsed the idea of calling for an alliance summit in the new year to address tensions arising from the SACP’s resolution.
COSATU 40th anniversary rally:
The NEC acknowledged the success of COSATU 40th Anniversary rally and commended the Union for the role it played towards ensuring the anniversary rally’s success. The NEC
wholeheartedly welcomed and embraced reaffirmations by COSATU and the ANC leadership to strengthen the Tripartite Alliance and to advance the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).
INTERNATIONAL MATTERS
The NEC strongly condemned and vowed to fight against Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza despite the truce. Since the war began in October 2023, Israel has explicitly targeted Gaza’s education system by bombing universities, libraries, schools, and killing teachers and students.
The NEC described the systematic destruction of Gaza’s education as constituting a scholasticide that aims to destroy the intellectual and cultural infrastructure of Palestine. The meeting reaffirmed solidarity with Palestine and the Education International (EI) resolution recognizing education destruction as a weapon of war.
The NEC also expressed concern over the United State of America’s aggression towards
Venezuela which undermines national sovereignty and global hegemonic interests. The NEC further stated that U.S. aggression against Venezuela is not merely a geopolitical maneuver but a manifestation of systemic contradictions in the international order. The NEC resolved that addressing these tensions requires strengthening multilateral enforcement and rebalancing global power relations to uphold sovereignty and international law. The US
must never be allowed to bully sovereign states and undermine the United Nations.
The NEC also condemned the US for its decision not to invite South Africa to the G20 in
2026. The US must know that South Africa is a founding member and in the current
situation, it is part of the TROIKA.
CONCLUSION
The National Executive Committee wishes union members, staff, education workers and
their families a safe and restful festive season and a prosperous New Year.
END
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat