Mmusi Maimane's party Build One SA has agreed to a formal partnership with the Unemployed Educators' Movement of South Africa (Uemsa).

The partnership will see the two organisations working together to bring national attention to the cause of unemployed qualified teachers across South Africa.

It is geared towards launching a programme of action to demand tangible action from the Department of Basic Education on the matter.

At a media briefing outside Parliament on Thursday, Maimane said when BOSA was launched 40 days ago, the party committed itself to offering a real alternative to the political party establishment.

"Instead of simply making empty promises, we committed to being a constructive force by working in conjunction with established role players to solve our country's core challenges. These being unemployment, education, safety, healthcare, and government efficiency," he said.

According to Maimane, Uemsa straddles with two of these core challenges – unemployment and education.

"Uemsa is currently regionally based in Gauteng, with an active membership of 1 500, and a database of almost 30 000 qualified educators who are either sitting at home unemployed or working another job while wanting to be apply their trade as educators. It exists to represent this constituency of unemployed educators and seeks to expand to all other provinces in the coming months," he said.

The signed memorandum of understanding between the two organisations will work towards:

• creating public awareness and taking a stand against issues such as the teachers' intake process; the ratio of qualified teachers to pupils in the country; subject allocation to unqualified teachers; abuse of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative; salary kickbacks; and quid pro quo assault
• requesting the Department of Basic Education to conduct a third-party audit of the aforementioned issues
• assisting in creating employment for members to the best of its ability
• working together with the National Unemployed Workers' Union to upskill members as coaches, and
• providing legal aid in the legal action to be taken against the Department of Basic Education.

Added to that, BOSA said it would work to advocate for pressing issues that include dropping the 30% pass mark for subjects.

It is also looking at ways to introduce an independent education ombudsman, incentivising pupils during the academic year and implementing tighter security at all schools.

Other plans include expanding extended programmes for underperforming pupils; reprioritising funds for digital learning and infrastructure; higher pay for performing teachers; a nationwide skills audit for teachers; and addressing the disproportionate power trade unions wield over teachers and the functioning of the education system.

Maimane also said parents must be given a far greater choice in how and where their children were schooled and educated.