Covid-19: Should schools remain open?
In the last few weeks, the district has seen the temporary closure of schools, municipal offices and businesses due to a rise in infections.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) is calling for schools to close until after Covid-19 infections peak in the country.
Current predictions are that this could be expected during August or September.
Nearly 300 000 confirmed cases had been identified nationwide by Tuesday this week.
Confirmed infections in Ugu District stood at 1 005 with 11 deaths, at the time of writing (July 15).
In the last few weeks, the district has seen the temporary closure of schools, municipal offices and businesses due to a rise in infections.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of SADTU met this week (July 14) to come up with an urgent response to the spike in Covid-19 cases in schools.
A statement issued by the organisation’s Secretariat said that ”the rate of community infections is impacting on schools”.
It added that “the pandemic has led to pandemonium in the education sector and this can be linked to the lacklustre leadership that we have been experiencing from the Department of Basic Education at various levels”.
The NEC called for the following to happen while schools are closed in order to ensure that learning continues:
- Coordinated radio lessons by teachers which would reach more pupils in far-flung areas
- Interactive radio lessons
- Well coordinated television programmes
- Use of cellphones to access content and the curriculum
- Use of education apps where content is verified
- Use of social media such as WhatsApp
- Provision of infrastructure and gadgets for online learning
- Provision of data to teachers, in particular Grade 12, to assist with WhatsApp and other forms of online learning.
Meanwhile the Department of Basic Education has reiterated that any decision on whether or not schools will be closed would be taken by Cabinet.
In a statement yesterday (July 15) Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga said she would engage in broad consultation with all stakeholders in the sector.
The purpose of the meetings would be to obtain input on the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic as it relates to schools.
The consultation will be concluded this Friday, July 17 and proposals taken to Cabinet at the weekend. Thereafter an announcement will be made.
“We wish to stress that the decision to re-open schools was taken by Cabinet after extensive consultation which culminated in the phased approach to the resumption of duty in the sector. Schools remain open until further notice,” said a department spokesman.
The statement clarified that the minister had no meeting planned with SADTU in particular but had made arrangements to meet with all key stakeholders, including school governing body associations and civil society, which operate in the basic education sector.
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