South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), the country’s largest teachers union said today, it rejects the government ‘s plan to reopen schools next month.
The union was reacting to a presentation by the director-general of Basic Education, Hubert Mweli, to the Parliamentary Education Portfolio Committee regarding the reopening of schools.
Mweli told legislators that schools will reopen in phases. In terms of the draft proposal, school will start on 4 May for teachers and 6 May for the Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners.
SADTU, in a statement, said that no school should be open until its concerns are met.
“These included among others, the fumigation and disinfection of schools, proper school infrastructure in the form of proper toilet facilities, observance of social distancing inside the classrooms and on court yards, reduction of class sizes, provision of soap, sanitizers and masks, screening of learners, teachers and support personnel, social distancing in the transportation of learners to and from schools, provision of psycho-social services to assist learners as well as teachers to build resilience and calm down fears among learners and teachers,” the union said.
