TimesLIVE reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents teachers and administrative staff members at schools, is concerned about pupils at poor and rural schools falling behind as better equipped facilities reopen on Monday.  

The PSA distanced itself from the "tentative" endorsement by other unions of the resumption of teaching at state schools countrywide for pupils in grades 7 and 12.  Sadtu, Naptosa, Saou, Natu and the Professional Educators' Union, together with a number of school governing body (SGB) associations, on Sunday supported the call to reopen schools on Monday "with the clear understanding that no school may open that is not Covid-19 compliant".  This followed a meeting with authorities and confirmation from Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga that schools were "95% ready" to reopen.  The PSA, however, said it was “extremely disappointed that these unions have agreed with the minister of basic education that not all schools can open for Grade 7s and Grade 12s".  Over the weekend, the union continued to receive reports from its provincial offices and members “which have found that schools, specifically those in the rural and poorer communities, still do not meet the required safety standards."  The PSA said it was “extremely disturbed by the fact that the department and other unions can agree to leave some schools behind whose learners will be expected to write the same examinations.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE

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