The Star reports that a last-ditch attempt to stop schools reopening next week is set to play out in court as the Educators Union of SA (Eusa), which apparently represents more than 27,000 teachers, challenges Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s “arrogance”.
On Sunday, the union’s general secretary Siphiwe Mpungose confirmed that an urgent court application would be launched against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to halt the government’s plans to reopen schools for Grade 7 and Grade 12 from 1 June. Schools have been closed for some two months since the announcement of the lockdown in March. Motshekga has adamantly maintained since last week that the DBE was ready to reopen schools safely, including the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) to all institutions nationwide. However, this was vehemently rejected by Mpungose, who said on Sunday the minister and the department were lying to the public about supplying PPEs and guaranteeing the safety of learners and teachers. “There are stark discrepancies between what the minister and provincial MECs have said regarding the state readiness, compared to the actual information on the ground. “We totally reject the use of teachers and learners as guinea pigs used to test against an invisible enemy,” Mpungose said. The union indicated that it expected to file its court papers by Monday morning.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khaya Koko at The Star
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