File picture: Eric Gaillard/Reuters File picture: Eric Gaillard/Reuters
WHILE school management teams and non-teaching staff in the Northern Cape were due to report for duty on Monday, this has been postponed by at least a week.
School management teams and non-teaching staff will now be expected to return to work on Monday, May 18, while teachers have been instructed to report on May 25.
This is according to a circular issued by the Northern Cape Department of Education HOD, Tshepo Pharasi, who indicated that the Province was not ready to open schools.
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, originally announced that schools would reopen in a staggered fashion to allow for the possible return of grades 7 and 12 on June 1. In terms of her announcement, school management teams would start on May 11 in preparation for the return of pupils.
Pharasi, however, said in his circular, dated May 7, that in light of his obligation to ensure and maintain an environment that is safe and without risk to the health of employees, his office had decided it was at present unable to comply with its obligation for a safe and risk-free working environment.
“In light of this, school management teams and non-teaching staff are informed that they must not report for duty on May 11 but on May 18. Teachers are informed that they must report for duty on May 25.”
He added that the circular may be subject to change based on any announcements by the Minister of Basic Education.
The delay in allowing management teams to return to work on Monday in a number of provinces has resulted in questions being asked about whether schools will be able to reopen for matrics and Grade 7 pupils by 1 June 1.
It is believed that Motshekga will be holding a meeting with all Education MECs on Monday to discuss the reopening of schools further.
Meanwhile, two teachers' unions, Naptosa and Saou, are saying their members will not return to schools yet.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) has advised school management teams (SMTs) not to report for duty until education authorities comply with all health and safety measures at schools.
Naptosa’s executive director Basil Manuel said in a statement that the union was “not prepared to gamble with the lives of our members”.
SMTs were advised to await confirmation from Motshekga or the department before returning to school.
Manuel said that Naptosa has consistently indicated that there can be no return to school for SMTs, teachers, education support personnel or pupils “if the non-negotiables have not been complied with”.
“We have also said that there needs to be a public declaration by the minister and MECs that the non-negotiables are in place before any educator or education support personnel member is to set foot in a school.
“If the department believes that by remaining mum on the subject the situation will resolve itself, they are sadly mistaken.
“Face masks have apparently not been procured, whilst screeners and testers have not been contracted.”