Teachers Will Not Return To School If It Is Not Safe To Do So – Unions Tell Motshekga

NYAKALLO TEFU

Teachers’ unions on Wednesday threatened to withdraw more than 300 00 teachers from schools if the Department of Basic Education fails to deliver safety measures at schools on time, including water, masks and sanitizers.

Despite assurances by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga that it’s all systems go on Tuesday evening, trade unions, which includes SADTU, NAPTOSA, NATU and SAOU, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that a baseline survey conducted by the unions has revealed that 90% of schools have not been cleaned or disinfected.

“We, however, wish to make it clear that if PPEs had not arrived at schools and the required cleaning had not taken place when teachers return on Monday, they are not to endanger their lives by entering such schools,” said the unions on Wednesday.

The baseline survey, which involved 9 365 respondents and 40% of schools, was completed online between 16th and