CIRCULAR: 0040/2001
EXPIRY DATE: NONE
TO: ALL CHIEF DIRECTORS, DIRECTORS, AREA AND CIRCUIT MANAGERS, SUBJECT ADVISORS, HEADS OF INSTITUTIONS AND CHAIRPERSONS OF GOVERNING BODIES

SUBJECT: EDUCATORS' ANNUAL LEAVE: UTILISATION OF ACCUMULATED VACATION LEAVE: EDUCATORS

Further to Circular 0024/2001 dated 6 March 2001 in the above regard, we wish to inform you that the WCED referred this issue to the national Department of Education with a view to obtain guidance as to how to deal with the issue. The national Department of Education has met the leadership of the respective teachers' unions and decided that, with due regard to the urgency of the matter, the following once-off arrangement will apply.

"Resolution 7 of 2000 provides for 10 days leave per annum for institution based educators. This is to be granted by the employer, bearing in mind service delivery requirements, and must be taken within 6 months after the end of the leave cycle. This means that all school and college-based educators have accumulated 5 days leave for the period 1 July 2000 to 31 December 2000, which must be utilised before 30 June 2001.

Service delivery obligations require the Department and its employees to render an uninterrupted service to learners, and it is not possible for us to allow this leave to be taken during term time. Therefore, pending further discussions with teacher unions on the matter, five working days of the Easter school closure period will be deemed as leave for institution-based educators, and entered as such in the leave registers. For the WCED this leave will include the working days of 9 to 12 April 2001 and 17 April 2001".

Kindly bring the above to the attention of all concerned.

HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2001-04-02