The unions and SGB associations had met Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, the deputy minister, the director general, provincial MECs, provincial heads of department, and various other officials to receive reports from the ministry about Covid-19 compliance and readiness to re-open schools, the unions and SGB associations said in a joint statement on Sunday.

"We wish to emphasise that the meeting was open, frank, and in a positive collaborative spirit that sought to join forces in combatting 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 percent, the unions and SGB associations consequently supported the call to re-open schools on June 8 with the clear understanding that no school may open that was not Covid-19 compliant.

It should be stated that three out of the nine provinces were still experiencing problems regarding the delivery of water tanks, which would make the resumption of learning and teaching impossible unless alternative measures were taken to ensure that all pupils received education, the statement said.

"The unions and SGB associations cautiously welcome the progress. We are particularly thankful for the extent of PPE [personal protective equipment] deliveries, the improvement in the number of completed water supply projects, and the delivery and improvement of toilet facilities.

"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."

The unions and SGB associations expected:

- a sense of urgency from government in ensuring that, as a bottom line, all pupils access quality education in a healthy and safe environment;

- alternative arrangements be made to accommodate all pupils from non-compliant schools;

- an integrated plan to get non-compliant schools ready as soon as possible;

- the establishment of inclusive task teams at district level to monitor and evaluate plans to deal with all outstanding work to have all schools Covid-19 compliant;

- a coherent employee and pupil wellness plan including but not limited to psycho-social support plan services;

- direction on the revised curriculum addressing the time remaining in the year as well as the over-emphasis on assessment;

- a new school calendar to be consulted on 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 as signed at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC);

- urgent attention to address and deliver critical PPE for special schools to comply with the inevitable physical and social contact;

- urgent negotiations between the basic education department and the communications department on zero-rating of data to ensure continuity of learning in the event a school was closed due to active cases detected; and

- concrete additional TV and radio lessons continue throughout the period of Covid-19 and that the public broadcaster change the schedules to suite pupils.

"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 over-zealous 'recovery' plans that further traumatise our teachers 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," the statement said.

African News Agency