Pandemic epicentre assures safety of all
The Western Cape, which accounts for a lion’s share of COVID-19 cases and deaths, has declared itself ready to welcome pupils and teachers back in the classrooms next month. The provincial department of education said 95% of principals and 94% of cleaners had reported for duty this week to start preparing the schools.
MEC for education in the Western Cape Debbie Schäfer said she understood there was anxiety about the reopening of schools, but added that measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of all in the education sector.
“Some people are also struggling to understand that on the one hand, they have been told to stay home and isolate themselves from society, yet now they are being told to go to schools or send their children to school,” Schäfer said.
“There are huge disadvantages of closing schools. Parents cannot work, children miss out on important parts of the curriculum, which can affect the rest of their schooling and their future earning capacity, and the poor are affected the most.”
The Western Cape is the epicentre of the virus in the country and accounts for more than half of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga this week brought certainty to the sector after she announced that grade 12 and 7 pupils would resume the academic year from June 1, with other grades to be phased in over time.
The department is also in a race against time to fix the more than 1 500 schools that have been vandalised across the country since the lockdown began over a month ago.
However, teacher union Sadtu in the Northern Cape said teachers in the province should not report for duty tomorrow.
Sadtu Northern Cape provincial secretary Palesa Nqumashe said that the union’s position is informed by the last assessment report presented to the unions that indicated the Northern Cape department of education was not ready to open schools tomorrow for teachers.
