The country’s two biggest teachers unions are still opposed to plans to reopen schools in the wake of the
Coronavirus.
Schools and universities were closed in March in order to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking ahead of the meeting of the council of ministers today - which will include all nine education MECs and the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga - the unions also expressed worry that it appears that their inputs were ignored.
Mugwena Maluleke, the general secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) said: “We were consulted, but the department comes to consult for formality not for alternative ideas.
“The provincial departments are doing their own things and nothing we discuss at national makes any difference.
“For re-opening in schools the departments must fully comply with regulations and OHS. None of the provinces is ready.”
He added: “What we observed is that the employer is worried about the school calendar, not the safety and lives of the workers.”
Alan Thompson, the president of the National Teachers Union (Natu), said following their meeting with Motshekga last week, they were disappointed to find that the employer wanted them to simply rubber-stamp what has been decided already.
PLAN: Angie Motshekga met with unhappy unions
“Quite clearly, in our circumstances, more specific information needed to have been made regarding school’s infrastructural readiness - repairs, maintenance, required extra spaces, extra teachers - both newly recruited and substitute, etc.
“We are insisting that we will never allow overcrowded classes to be taught and we want only one child per desk as 40 learners apply to normal circumstances,” Thompson said.
DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said they met with unions but can’t disclose what took place.