KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala has assured the public that the province is ready for the reopening of schools.

He said the Department of Education will ensure all necessary Covid-19 protection essentials are delivered to schools before the arrival of pupils.

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Zikalala told the media at a briefing in Durban on Tuesday that these will include the provision of water and sanitation facilities

‘For the safety of school communities, the Department of Education has made good progress. There is confirmation that all schools will have required Covid-19 essentials when learners arrive. This includes cloth masks for teachers and learners.’

Zikalala added that school management teams (SMTs) started working in schools since last Monday

‘The main aim of the early return of the SMTs at schools was to ensure smooth registration and readiness of operations so that teaching and learning can start on the first hour of the first day of school.

National Teachers Union (NATU) Secretary General, Cynthia Barnes, said they have received numerous concerns from their members about a lack of water provision and availability of ablution facilities at various schools, especially in rural areas and in townships.

‘Firstly, we did not agree with the department to reopen the schools which are Covid-19 spread zones. Some of the schools in eShowe do not have water. Various schools in deep rural areas do not have ablution facilities.

‘The World Health Organisation made it clear that when the infection and mortality rate is still high, schools should not be open,’ Barnes said.

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