DA rejects SADTU’s reckless call for schools to close

14 July 2029

The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects the call by the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) for schools to close until after the Covid-19 peak.

This call on the part of the teachers’ union is nothing short of reckless. And is a deliberate attempt to disrupt the completion of the academic year.

We urge parents and teachers to guard against this recklessness as most schools are going above and beyond to keep their children safe.

Those who are advocating for schools to close clearly have no understanding of the damage it will cause to the academic progress of learners, especially those in poorer communities. This is the worst form of grandstanding as they completely disregard any consideration of the reality of millions of learners on the ground.

Many learners and teachers simply do not have access to the relevant internet or technological resources to make distance learning a success. Millions of learners will once again face imminent hunger as they depend on their school feeding schemes for daily meals. In addition to this, schools and Education Departments have forked out millions to procure Covid-19 essentials. Should schools close for the foreseeable future, this expenditure would have been in vain.

The DA is of the view that only schools without the necessary Covid-19 protocols in place must remain closed until such time that they have all the necessary required equipment and resources to ensure that they adhere to the standard health regulations. Schools that adhere to Covid-19 protocols should remain open.

Not only should schools remain open, but the DA is of the view that the Basic and Higher Education Departments should also be declared "frontline Departments" given the vast quantity of Covid protocols they have to implement for the safety of millions of children and adults.

The DA calls on Minister Angie Motshkega to remain resolute and not to succumb to SADTU’s demands. Her responsibility should first and foremost be the children of South Africa, and not SADTU’s political games.

Issued by Nomsa Marchesi and Belinda Bozzoli, 14 July 2020