College lecturers tired of waiting, Nantu says

THE Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) has given Government an ultimatum to start salary negotiations for lecturers at the four teachers’ colleges by tomorrow.

Nantu accuses Government’s negotiating team of using delaying tactics, with the intention of sweeping the lecturers’ issues under the carpet. It has warned that further delays would leave the union with no other option but to consider “serious actions that will convey to Government the urgency of the matter”.Lecturers at the Ongwediva, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and Windhoek Colleges of Education went on strike in April, saying their pleas for better salaries had been ignored since 2003.Nantu advised the lecturers to return to work because the matter was taken up by the Office of the Prime Minister.But Nantu’s Secretary General, Berthold Haingura, says the issue has dragged on for too long without negotiations starting.”The issue of the conditions of service of the college lectures was raised with the former Ministry of Higher Education in 2003; up until now nothing has been done.We are very concerned about this issue, because it impacts on the morale of teachers and the performance of students,” said Haingura.Last week Nantu sent a letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister, demanding the start of the negotiations, but according to Haingura it fell on deaf ears.”They could not meet our demands and we have learned with disappointment of the lack of commitment from the Government’s negotiating team,” he said.It has warned that further delays would leave the union with no other option but to consider “serious actions that will convey to Government the urgency of the matter”.Lecturers at the Ongwediva, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and Windhoek Colleges of Education went on strike in April, saying their pleas for better salaries had been ignored since 2003.Nantu advised the lecturers to return to work because the matter was taken up by the Office of the Prime Minister.But Nantu’s Secretary General, Berthold Haingura, says the issue has dragged on for too long without negotiations starting.”The issue of the conditions of service of the college lectures was raised with the former Ministry of Higher Education in 2003; up until now nothing has been done.We are very concerned about this issue, because it impacts on the morale of teachers and the performance of students,” said Haingura.Last week Nantu sent a letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister, demanding the start of the negotiations, but according to Haingura it fell on deaf ears.”They could not meet our demands and we have learned with disappointment of the lack of commitment from the Government’s negotiating team,” he said.