The five Teacher Unions (SADTU, NAPTOSA, SAOU, NATU, PEU) together with the School Governing
Body Associations (FEDSAS, NASGB, GBF, SANASE) met with Minister Motshekga, the Deputy
Minister, MECs of Provinces, the Director-General in the Department of Basic Education, the
Provincial HODs and various other officials, to receive reports from the Ministry about the COVID-19
Compliance of schools and readiness to re-open schools. We wish to emphasize that the meeting
was open, frank and in a positive collaborative spirit that sought to join forces in combating a threat
that affects not only everyone involved in education but also the future development of our country
as a whole.
The Unions and SGB Associations heard of the progress made towards compliance. With the overall
school readiness said to be 94%, the unions and SGB Associations consequently support the call to
re-open schools on 08th June 2020 with the clear understanding that no school may open that is not
Covid-19 compliant. It should be stated that three out of the nine provinces were still experiencing
challenges with regard to the delivery of water tanks which will make the resumption of learning and
teaching impossible unless alternative measures are taken to ensure that all learners receive
education.
The Unions and SGB Associations cautiously welcome the progress. We are particularly thankful for the extent of PPEs deliveries, the improvement in the number of completed water supply projects, and the delivery and improvement of toilet facilities.
This improvement came as a result of the constant emphasis by the Unions and SGB associations that
water and sanitation are the non-negotiables in the fight against the spread of the virus.
We remain committed to the principle that all schools must be COVID-19 compliant and ready to
open together.
We will closely monitor the promise to complete the outstanding water deliveries, toilets, and
additional classes.
As Unions and SGB Associations we have put it to the Minister that we expect:
– A sense of urgency from the government in ensuring that as a bottom line, all learners must
access quality education in a healthy and safe environment
– Alternative arrangements are made to accommodate all the learners from schools that are
not COVID-19 compliant
– An integrated plan to get schools that are not COVID-19 compliant ready in the shortest
time.
– The establishment of an inclusive Task Teams at the level of the districts to monitor and
evaluate the plans to deal with all the outstanding work in order to have all schools COVID-
19 compliant.
– A coherent employee and learner wellness plan that includes but not limited to Psycho-
Social Support Plan services
– Direction on the revised curriculum that addresses the time remaining in the year as well as
addressing the over-emphasis on assessment.
– A new school calendar needs to be consulted immediately.
– A plan for the sustained supply of COVID-19 consumables to ensure sustained compliance.
– The urgent conclusion of an agreement to address the replacement of staff, on leave
because of possible active cases
– The uniform application and implementation of the Collective Agreement on Concessions
dealing with co-morbidities assigned at the ELRC.
– Urgent attention to address and deliver the critical PPEsfor the special schools in order to
comply with the inevitable physical and social contact
– Urgent negotiations between the DBE and Department of Communication to ensure the
zero-rating of data for continuous learning in order to ensure continuity of learning in the
event the school is closed due to active cases detected.
– Concrete additional TV and Radio lessons are continued throughout the period of COVID-19
and that the public broadcaster change the schedules to suit the learners
The Unions and SGB Associations consequently tentatively support the call to re-open schools on 8
June 2020 with the clear understanding that no school may open that is notCOVID-19 compliant as
per the directive of the Minister and State President.
We as a collective of the major stakeholders in education remain committed to seeing that learning
resumes in our schools but wish to caution against overzealous “recovery” plans that further
traumatize our teacher and education support workers. We remind schools that only our matric
classes are faced with catching up on work missed.
We call on all our members to heed the call to return to school or alternative accommodation except
where schools are not ready and thus unsafe.