Thursday, November 7, 2024

Trade Unionism and Nation Building

The nature and magnitude with which teacher trade unions shape and influence nation building will depend largely on the manner in which the trade unions individually and collectively conduct themselves. Similarly, nation building and national development largely depends on how the government accepts and tolerates trade union collective bargaining and its role in national development. That is, how well government is willing to work with trade unions determines the level of productivity and national prosperity.

Teacher Trade Unions and Quality National Education
Teacher trade unions form an integral part of key stakeholders to social, political and economic development of a nation state. Trade unions unite teachers across the education spectrum and give expression to their collective views on education policy, the profession, terms and conditions of employment, and related matters (Education International, 2001).

There are key questions that beg our attention in addressing the role of teacher trade unions in nation building or national development. These are:

? What is the current role of teacher trade unions in Botswana?

? Do trade unions actively participate in shaping the quality of the country’s education? If not…
? What role can trade unions play in shaping the nations education system?

? How can trade unions promote quality education for all?

For trade unions to effectively execute their mandate they must be guided by principles of democracy, human rights and social justice and their agenda must necessarily be non partisan. Chief in their agenda should be the promotion of quality education for all. This move cannot be achieved by a fragmented teachers’ union movement that seems to be continuously working at cross purposes as is the case with local teacher trade unions. We need to cultivate an atmosphere of collective solidarity in which teacher trade unions would aggressively pursue an education policy change that seeks to redirect national education from the, “ narrow, instrumentalist view of education as solely teaching students to become skilled employees”. Instead we should argue, “for a perspective on education that serves both the values of the society at local and global levels, as well as cultural, democratic, social, economic and environmental needs” (Education International, 2001).

It must be noted that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has not been successful in providing education that is responsive to local and global needs. Education must transcend the rudimentary market forces of “customer ÔÇô provider” model currently sold by MoESD. It must not only concentrate on spewing out a cohort of knowledge consumers who have not benefited from an education system that allows knowledge construction that translates into skills acquisition and attitude change within the learners for adaptive citizenship. Be that as it may, this scenario presents a challenge which is a call for action on the part of trade unions to develop an alternative policy initiative that would drive Botswana to 2016 and beyond.

Teacher Trade Unions and Promotion of Public Good
Through agitating for and developing alternative responsive policy initiatives teacher trade unions would ensure quality education that nurtures: “peace, democracy, creativity, solidarity, inclusion, a commitment to a sustainable environment, and international and intercultural understanding” (Education International, 2001).

Likewise, such education would motivate learners to “conceptualise, question and solve problems that occur both locally and globally” (Education International, 2001). This is what is lacking in our education system. There is need for a strong bond between government and the representative trade unions in ensuring academic freedom in institutions which guarantees independent research, teaching and scholarship for public good.

In the same vein, such strong bond would ensure quality education inputs (learners’ backgrounds, teachers’ qualifications, conditions of service, resources, teacher ÔÇô learner ratio, investment in education) by education stakeholders (unions, government, private sector, public) and quality outputs. Trade unions must play the role of providing checks and balances in economic development. For example, teacher trade unions could find out if Gross Development Product (GDP) and national income distribution is equitable. Do teachers as key stakeholders in national wealth creation enjoy the fruits of their labour as other sectors? Therefore, teacher trade unions are vital partners in nation building as where there is strong dispute settlement machinery there would be less labour disputes which would conversely ensure higher economic returns.

Teacher trade unions need to present themselves as a formidable front that would create an enabling environment for harmonious industrial relations system and not a hostile environment such as is currently prevalent in this country. In this regard trade unions need first to educate their members on trade unionism and its function in industrial relations. Equipped with such knowledge members would be confident and alert on labour issues. Therefore, unions would act as mini democracies where dialogue on issues of national welfare becomes paramount. In addition, “better educated and better equipped workers will be an advantage in a modernizing industry which requires independent work attitudes and responsible behaviour” (Hock, 1993)

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