SADTU: Test all teachers, learners before schools re-open
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has demanded that government conduct screenings of more than 10 million learners and teachers for Covid-19 before the schools re-open in South Africa.
LIMPOPO – It is still unclear exactly when schools will re-open, after the President, Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced an extention of 14 days to the nationwide lockdown.
SADTU General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke said the teachers’ union would meet top education officials this week to table its demands for both teachers and learners be screened to prevent possible Covid-19 infections.
Maluleke said that schools should not re-open until all screenings are complete. He proposed that, to conduct these mass screenings, learners should be separated by grades and that they come in on different days for screenings so they do not possibly infect others should some were positive.
This demand could mean a further delay of the re-opening of schools, which was expected soon after the lockdown comes to an end, and it would mean that more than 10 million learners and 400 000 teachers would have to be screened, putting a further burden on the already stretched health services in the country.
The 200 000-strong teacher union also demands that government considers reducing the current ideal teacher-to-learner ratio of 35,2 learners to one teacher in primary school and 27,7 learners to one teacher in secondary schools, to halve the number of learners to ensure social distancing among learners.
“Teachers must have enough space in their classrooms so they can walk at least 50 to 55 centimetre in-between learners,” said Maluleke.
He further said teachers would have to see to it that children keep their social distance from each other, for their safety.
National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa’s (Naptosa) Executive Director, Basil Manuel, said most parents were concerned about sending their children back to school at the end of the lockdown period in the absence of concrete safety measures having been put in place by the government to ensure the safety of learners.
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