A South African teachers’ union on Wednesday warned against the planned reopening of the country’s schools, saying such a move would endanger the lives of children and communities amid fears of a spike in the number of coronavirus cases.
According to the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), there was a lot of groundwork that still needs to be done before the students can return to their desks on 1 June as per latest government announcement.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Tuesday that the country’s schools would reopen on 1 June, with Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners returning to the classrooms first.
Noting that the June date is too soon to send pupils back to school, SADTU general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the union conducted its own surveys on the issue and found that seven out of the country’s nine provinces were not ready to resume classes.
“The survey tells us that seven provinces are far from being ready in terms of facilities and in terms of water available,” he said.
He revealed that the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces “are at least ready for the delivery of masks for the teachers and some of the workers but not for the learners.”
He said the country’s education authorities needed at least two months to ensure thorough preparation for receiving students, teachers and administrative personnel back to the schools.
“We need more than two months to prepare thoroughly for all these particular things so that we don’t perpetuate the inequalities,” Maluleke said.
The minister had said a revised school calendar would be gazetted soon to show the staggered dates for other classes to reopen at the nation’s schools.
South Africa has so far confirmed 17,200 Covid-19 cases which have resulted in 312 deaths as the country observes Level 4 of its lockdown rules under which some sectors are allowed to reopen following stay-at-home regulations that commenced on 27 March.
NM/jn/APA