Bid to reopen private nursery schools
LABOUR union Solidarity’s professional guild for social workers and the Schools Support Centre (SSC) said yesterday they might take government to court if they did not allow independent and private nursery schools to reopen.
The two organisations said they wrote to ministers Lindiwe Zulu and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, demanding that clear regulations be announced to determine the opening of the institutions. Failing any response, they would bring an urgent application before the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
“During lockdown, the reopening of schools and private nursery schools has caused constant uncertainty among parents, pupilss and teachers,” said Melanie Buys, head of development at the SSC.
“The regulations clearly allow for the phasing in of Grade R pupils and learners in the lower grades.
“However, these regulations only apply to schools registered with the department of education and, as such, private nursery schools that fall under the Department of Social Development are excluded”.
The occupational guild and the SSC said private nursery schools should also be allowed to resume teaching on July 6 together with the other nursery schools, arguing that children of all ages had a right to basic education.
They argue nursery schools provide an essential service to parents as far as the provision of daycare was concerned.