WINDHOEK - The long-drawn-out court case between the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and government over remote teachers’ incentives will be heard in the Supreme Court on 2 April.
The teachers union, which has a bargaining agreement with government, has been embroiled in a legal dispute with the Office of the Prime Minister since 2018.
Nantu has been pressurising government to pay teachers’ monies based on two agreements signed during 2009/2010 and 2012. Nantu secretary-general Loide Shaanika on Tuesday informed members that the case about the incentives for qualified teachers in the remote areas would be heard in the Supreme Court on 2 April.
“We are looking forward to the finalisation of this case. We trust that justice will prevail. Nantu is looking for support from its members in this regard,” Shaanika noted.
She further advised that the negotiation team would provide feedback on matters under negotiation in all regions as from next week. Hence, she urged all Nantu members to attend the meetings.
Both parties met in court during 2018, where government lawyers submitted their argument to satisfy the court whether they had prospects of success on appeal or not.
The government’s decision to appeal came after the labour court ruled that qualified remote teachers were entitled to receive their incentives, stemming from an agreement reached in 2009/10, as well as more money based on a second agreement reached in 2012.
During 2018, Nantu also conducted a nationwide consultation with teachers regarding the payment of recruitment and retention incentives due to qualified teachers who have not been paid their allowance by the ministry of education since 2015.
The consultation comes amid the High Court’s judgement that was handed down by Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula in February 2018, instructing the government to pay teachers with 20 percent interest as per the 2009 agreement.
The incentives to be paid to qualified teachers were to encourage the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers in remote areas. Unqualified teachers, including other educators and public service members, did not qualify for payment of incentives.
The incentive was to be paid in three categories – A: N$1 750; B: N$1 150 and C: N$750. Shaanika also said Nantu and the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) have launched a dispute of interest at the Office of the Labour Commissioner after reaching a deadlock on the salary and other fringe benefit negotiations for the civil servants for 2018/19, 2019/2020 and 2020/21 financial years.
“Although a deadlock was reached, the engagement between the parties through a conciliation process continues. The last meeting was in November and the parties commit to finalise the process very soon.
The union will not tolerate any further delays on this matter, and should there be delays, then Nantu will leave no stone unturned,” she threatened.