Unions: School closures meeting ‘waste of time’

The country’s five teacher unions were flabbergasted on Sunday night when deputy basic education minister Reginah Mhaule and a task team comprising five education MECs asked them for proposals on why schools should be closed.

The unions had given basic education minister Angie Motshekga their three-page document on Saturday.

Mhaule informed the unions of the meeting at 8.45 on Sunday night.

The education MECs making up the task team included Kwazi Mshengu from KwaZuluNatal, Panyaza Lesufi (Gauteng), Debbie Schafer (Western Cape), Wendy Matsemela (North West) and Polly Boshielo (Limpopo).

Ben Machipi, general secretary of the Professional Educators’ Union (PEU), said: “What shocked us is that the task team introduced by the deputy minister were asking for the consolidated proposals that we gave the minister on Saturday.”

He said they were told the task team would examine consolidated proposals by the unions and make recommendations to Motshekga, which she would take to the cabinet.

“The meeting was a waste of time,” Machipi said.

In their proposals to Motshekga, the unions said schools must be closed immediately and only reopen at the end of next month, once Covid-19 infections had peaked.

They proposed that matric pupils return on August 17 and that different modes of teaching be used to help them while they are at home.

Other grades should return at the end of August, subject to a review based on the situation regarding coronavirus spread.

Motshekga met the unions last Friday after meeting governing body associations earlier last week.

According to Machipi, the task team was expected to meet them again later on Monday.

Meanwhile, in response to the ongoing debate on whether to keep schools open, Shenilla Mohamed, executive director of Amnesty International SA, said on Monday that the organisation was still receiving reports of schools that did not have water or sanitation despite government promises.

“We reiterate our call on the DBE to be transparent and accountable on this promise and to ensure that every school has access to safe, sufficient, and reliable water and sanitation immediately,” she said.

The task team introduced by the deputy minister were asking for the consolidated proposals that we gave the minister on Saturday