Motshekga set to report back to unions on Thursday
The National Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) says they expect feedback from Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on the possible closure of schools on Thursday evening.
Motshekga is expected discuss the issue at cabinet on Thursday before making an announcement.
Teacher unions earlier met with Motshekga to discuss their concerns around the reopening of schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Unions want the government to close schools until the Covid-19 peak has passed.
Naptosa’s Basil Manuel says they hope Motshekga will heed their call.
"We are waiting in anticipation as Naptosa and other teachers unions, as well as teachers and parents, for the Education Department to come back and tell us whether the issues we have put on our memorandum have been duly considered. Especially the closure of schools, whilst we are seeing the peak in Covid-19 cases and midwinter being reached.”
He believes the department should be given more time to prepare schools to deal with the virus.
"We believe we need to give the department time to prepare the rest of the system given that some provinces still don't have the other cohorts of learners.
“We have asked for a month. We don't know if that's we will get, but we sincerely hope all the good reasons we have put together will convey the true sense of the pressure our teachers are under.”
Motshekga is expected to report back to unions on Thursday evening.
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Unions and various other organisations have taken the department to task over the reopening of schools as the country heads towards the peak of the Covid-19 lockdown. Motshekga slammed MPs on Wednesday during the department's budget vote. "We have to acknowledge that we have the anti-everything who repeat the same thing all the time and nothing constructive.