The ELRC ended the year on a high note with many developments during the last months of

2006. The 16th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) was successfully

held from 10-14 December 2006 and we were afforded the opportunity to market the ELRC to

the commonwealth countries through having a presentation at the Teachers Forum and by

participating at the exhibition.

 

Supporting the Teachers’ Forum at the CCEM, the ELRC International Education Labour

Relations Seminar was held on 14 and 15 December 2006 and focussed on the role of labour

relations in improving the quality of learning outcomes in public education. 
 

On the first day of the seminar, the president of COSATU and SADTU Mr William Madisha,

gave the welcoming address on behalf of all teachers in South Africa. The honourable Mrs

Naledi Pandor, Minister of Education, RSA, gave the Keynote Address from where ELRC

Chairperson Mr A Kutumela, closed for the day.

 

It was off to the Cape Town Waterfront for the ELRC Gala Dinner and Jazz Evening at the

Manenberg’s Jazz Cafe'. The MEC for Education in the Western Cape, Mr Cameron Dugmore,

was the host of the event, and Robbie Jansen and local comedian Muthu Murugan entertained

our guests until the early morning hours.

 

The next day, after the plenary session chaired by Mr Steve Sinnot from the United Kingdom,

our international guests from Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, India and Switzerland were given the

opportunity to present individually in four independent sessions dealing with different issues.

The seminar was concluded with the closing session  by Mr Duncan  Hindle the Director

General of Education, RSA.

 

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BACKGROUND

 

Education Ministers from the 53 countries of the Commonwealth meet every three years to

discuss issues of mutual concern and interest. The last Conference of Commonwealth

Education Ministers was held in Edinburgh, Scotland in October 2003 and the one before that

in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2000.

 

South Africa, through the Ministry of Education will be hosting the 16th Conference of

Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) in Cape Town at the International Convention

Centre on 10-14 December 2006

 

In addition to the Ministers of Education, senior education officials, educators, youth and other

stakeholders from the 53 member countries have been invited by the Commonwealth

Secretariat to participate in separate fora and to interact with the Ministerial Conference.

Ministers will thus have the opportunity to interact with Teachers, Youth and Stakeholder

forums.

 

The theme for this year’s Ministerial Conference is “Access to Quality Education: For the

Good of All”. The conference will thus focus attention on what happens to learners once they

are enrolled in education.  The conference theme suggests that attention to access, retention

and progression needs to be accompanied by improvements in the quality of educational

experiences, and actual learning acquisition and outcomes.

 

The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) will be assisting and supporting the Minister

of Education by holding a seminar, which will coincide with the CCEM, with the broad theme,

“The role of labour relations in improving quality in learning outcomes in public

education”.   The ELRC Seminar will be held on 14-15 December 2006 at the same venue.

 

 

CRITICAL ISSUES AND DEBATES FOR THE ELRC SEMINAR

 

The following broad topics are suggested for the Seminar:

• Performance Management Systems in Public Education
  Possible organisation to submit a paper on the topic:
  o Education International
• Professional Development and Performance Management of Educators
  Possible countries to submit papers on the topic:
  o Mexico
  o Cuba
• Health of Educators – Input of Conditions of Services
  Possible organisation/s to submit papers on the topic:
  o HSRC / UNESCO / WHO
• Promoting Labour Peace in Public Education
  Possible organisation to submit paper on the topic:
  o ILO
• The Role of Teachers in Eradicating Illiteracy in Countries of the South
  Possible countries to submit papers on the topic:
  o Venezuela
  o Cuba