Extra school holidays 'disruptive' but no teaching time lost - National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA
Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit
Public holidays
Picture: © teka77/123rf.com
CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Basil Manuel of the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA).
Listen below:
In the second term of the 2025 South African school calendar, there's a special school holiday week added to the calendar from 29 April to 2 May in addition to regular public holidays.
The special holiday week is due to some public holidays in April falling over weekends but being observed during the week.
Also read: Schools get an extra week off during April
Manuel says the extra week off 'does impact learning and teaching'. "Truancy is at its highest during these many little holidays. Besides people who just keep their children out, many children just don't pitch, so it is less productive to have the children at school... you're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea..." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA "We're part of the calendar committee and we supported the notion that we close, noting that there's no loss of teaching time because this year we have 203 school days as opposed to the normal 200. But, it is disruptive in the sense that the rhythm is lost, and as you pick up the rhythm, then it's lost, but it's an annual event." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA "It's right there in that Foundation Phase and Junior Primary where the rhythm is most difficult to keep because you're trying to establish patterns, you're teaching things like reading and that is a sustained activity and when you break it, you almost have to go back to the beginning and those teachers have to work the hardest to maintain that and, of course, appeal to parents' sensibilities to keep it going at home... but that's possible in some areas and some areas it's not." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA "The other group on the continuum is at the higher levels of matric where you don't want them to lose that rhythm and then find it difficult to pick up and get into the game again... to do that, teachers have to do extra things like homework packs..." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA "And yes, children want the holiday, and I'm an advocate for that, children need the break, children need the holiday, children must play, but we've also got to balance it." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA
Manuel says, despite the extra holiday days, teachers are burnt out. "Nobody sees the time spent at night, early hours of the morning when people get to school at the crack of dawn to do marking because they've also got families at home... don't for one minute assume that everyone is sitting in front of the television with their legs up... our matric teachers are feeling really burnt out because they're spending so much time at school... we've got to make a better plan. Our foundation phase teachers are also doing a marvellous job..." - Basil Manuel, Executive Director - NAPTOSA
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a few seconds ago
- IOL News
SA Canegrowers calls for urgent government action to save local sugar industry
SA Canegrowers urges the government to prioritise negotiations with the US to finalise a mutually beneficial trade deal, which would include a tariff exemption for sugar, or a return to the previous US quota mechanism. Image: Simphiwe Mbokazi/Independent Newspapers SA Canegrowers has urged Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, to expedite the finalisation of regulations that could fortify the survival of South Africa's beleaguered sugar industry. The appeal comes amidst increasing turmoil, marked by a 30% tariff on South African sugar exports to the United States and an influx of heavily subsidised foreign sugar into local markets. The organisation's chairman, Higgins Mdluli, highlights the dire state of the industry, noting that delays in industry consultations threaten the livelihoods of growers crucial for sustaining rural economies, particularly in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. 'The sugar industry needs the limited exemption from competition regulations in order to have industry-wide discussions without fear of falling foul of the Competition Act,' Mdluli stated, underscoring the urgency with which the sector requires government support. In May, Minister Didiza published draft regulations allowing collective negotiations on the procurement of over 90% local sugar among growers, millers, retailers, and food manufacturers. Initially welcomed by SA Canegrowers, the lack of progress since the public comment period has raised alarms within the industry. The consultation, requested by the Minister herself, has yet to be scheduled months after feedback was gathered, prompting renewed concern among stakeholders. 'We have written to Minister Didiza and urged her to act with urgency," Mdluli said. "The livelihoods of sugarcane growers depend on it.' The challenge posed by cheap foreign sugar imports and the newly imposed US tariffs threatens not only the viability of local sugar but also the jobs and economic stability of entire communities reliant on the sector. According to SA Canegrowers, the current situation reflects a critical need for domestic action to stave off the competitive threat from subsidised imports. 'The South African sugar industry is a national asset. We support local jobs and farming, yet our market is being flooded by cheap, subsidised imports,' Mdluli elaborated. He emphasised that not only are local jobs at stake, but the influx of cheaper sugar does not benefit consumers, but instead allows importers to reap higher profit margins at the expense of the local economy. Compounding these domestic struggles is the impact of the new US tariff, which has rendered South African sugar less competitive in a vital export market. Prior to this development, the US operated under a quota system for sugar, which did not adversely affect South African growers. As the US grapples with its own supply limitations, SA Canegrowers is calling on the South African government to prioritise negotiations for a mutually beneficial trade deal, advocating for a tariff exemption for sugar or a reversion to the previous quota mechanisms. The call for prompt governmental action highlights the precarious balance that needs to be struck to safeguard the viability of local agriculture. Failure to act could jeopardise the livelihoods of countless growers and ultimately threaten the very foundation of the domestic sugar industry. IOL
The South African
a few seconds ago
- The South African
'We don't need your racist views' at National Dialogue, Panyaza tells AfriForum, Solidarity
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has hit back at Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum for withdrawing from the National Dialogue Convention. AfriForum, Solidarity and Solidarity Movement withdrew from the National Dialogue accusing the African National Congress (ANC)-led government of hijacking the dialogue and degenerating it into a government-driven national monologue. The decision also comes as other legacy foundations, including those bearing the names of Thabo Mbeki, Desmond Tutu, Oliver Tambo, and Chief Albert Luthuli, have formally withdrawn from the upcoming National Dialogue Convention, scheduled for Friday, 15 August. In a joint statement released on Friday, 8 August, the legacy foundations cited serious concerns over breaches of key principles governing the National Dialogue process. These include government overreach, a rushed timeline, lack of transparency, and financial instability – factors they say undermine the credibility and original citizen-driven spirit of the event. Despite withdrawing from the 15 August event, the foundations emphasised that they are not abandoning the broader National Dialogue project. On Tuesday, 12 August, AfriForum took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm that they have also withdrawn from the dialogue. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said the crisis the country is currently in is due to the ANC's failed policies, mismanagement and corruption. Kriel said they are the cause of the problems and, therefore, they cannot be trusted to lead the process of finding solutions. In response, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi accused the lobby groups of being racist. 'Who's next? Thanks for not attending, we honestly don't need your racist views,' he posted on X. Unsurprisingly, chairperson of the Solidarity Movement, Flip Buys, said national discussions are essential to find solutions to the country's pressing crises, but everything indicates that the National Dialogue at this stage will only result in more useless discussions, instead of action. 'The reason for this is that it appears that the ANC wants to hijack the intended the dialogue to try to win back lost support, rather than find answers to the crises. 'Therefore, the Solidarity Movement supports the various foundations that have decided not to attend the dialogue on Friday, and we will not be there either. There is no point in putting the party responsible for the decline in the country in charge of the National Dialogue,' he said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
31 minutes ago
- IOL News
Independent oversight urged as corruption deepens in municipalities
Corruption in South Africa's municipalities: A call for independent oversight Image: SAPS Corruption casts a long shadow over South Africa's municipal governance, undermining service delivery and leaving communities that rely on water, sanitation, and electricity to bear the brunt of misused funds. As watchdogs and analysts warn, the rot begins at the top and filters down to the street level, where residents seek basic essentials. A string of reports over the past year has underscored the severity of the problem. In August last year, Duja Consulting released a report titled The Pressing Issue of Corruption in South African Municipalities. It argued that corrupt officials may demand kickbacks or artificially inflate contract prices to enrich themselves, driving up costs for municipalities and, by extension, taxpayers and ratepayers. The report cautioned that a forensic approach to addressing corruption is essential. Such an approach, it said, is needed to uncover and rectify misuses of resources and ensure that money earmarked for essential services reaches the people who need it. Corruption Watch (CW) has consistently highlighted the problem's local government dimension. A CW report for 2024 revealed that the organization received more than 2,000 corruption complaints in 2023. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Earlier, a 2023 CW report identified local government as a key area where corruption was prevalent. Of the five municipalities with the highest corruption reports, three metropolitan municipalities, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Cape Town - collectively accounted for 71% of all reported incidents. The persistence of corruption at the local level has prompted calls for independent oversight. Speaking to IOL, Paul Maritz, director at FreeSA, argued that South Africa needs independent oversight in local government to curtail corruption. 'South Africa's bloated and often unaccountable municipal bureaucracies create fertile ground for corruption to thrive. Internal investigations rarely lead to consequences because they are conducted by systems that enable misconduct. 'To honour the Constitution's promise of transparent and ethical governance, we need a leaner, cleaner state – even at the municipal level – where independent oversight and public accountability are the norm, not the exception,' Maritz stated. Zakhele Ndlovu, a political analyst, contends that corruption has become entrenched in the country, especially in municipalities. 'It appears that 96% of members of municipal councils are incorrigible. It's not just a case of a few rotten apples. Corruption Watch has reported extensively on cases of corruption across municipalities. 'There is just no political will to deal with corruption. Whistle-blower complaints that deal with and detail corruption go unattended. We can't expect municipalities to investigate themselves because they are fundamentally compromised,' said Ndlovu. He referenced KwaZulu-Natal police head Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's claims of police criminal syndicates that are alleged to have infiltrated the criminal justice system and extended to local, provincial, and national governments. 'South Africa is a kakistocracy-cum-mafia state. Yes, while investigations into corruption are conducted, the findings are never implemented, just as is the case with the findings of commissions of inquiry.' Ndlovu warned of broader political consequences if inaction continues. He suggested voter turnout could slump in next year's local government elections as citizens lose faith in the political system. 'Citizens have lost trust and confidence in the whole political system. Our electoral system exacerbates the problem, which makes so-called public representatives accountable to the party that deploys them instead of the voters. Local government is supposed to be the sphere of government closest to the people, but that is not the case.'
