Durban - MORE than 22500 teachers countrywide, who were approved for concessions to stay home because of the spread of Covid-19, have been summoned to return to work.
This comes after the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the country will move to level 1 of the lockdown.
The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has warned that teachers who were unfit to return to work should apply for sick leave as they will no longer be protected for staying away from work.
Sadtu said in terms of the Education Labour Relations Council Collective Agreement, signed on May 30 by Sadtu and Basic Education director-general Mathanzima Mweli, teachers were expected to return to work under level 1 of the lockdown.
Sadtu provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said the announcement was not a surprise as the agreement had in place measures to accommodate teachers with comorbidities and those over the age of 60 to work from home. The agreement was applicable for level 3 and 2 of the lockdown only.
“The Covid-19 infection rate has decreased drastically and we welcome the return of these teachers to work,” said Caluza.
According to a statement released by the Department of Basic Education, teachers will have to return to school from today.
“There were instances where substitute (teachers) were appointed in place of the (teachers) who had been granted a concession. It is expected that teachers with comorbidities will return to school and the provincial education departments should honour the contractual obligation entered into between the substitute (teachers) and the department. Schools should consider ways in which they could best utilise the substitute teachers with whom they have contractual obligation,” read the statement.
Caluza said the agreement was that the department would give the substitute teachers 30 days’ notice before the contracts could be terminated.
She said the department would use the time to assess the situation and the substitute teachers would assist in ensuring that there was physical distancing. “The truth is that Covid-19 is still there and precautions such as physical distancing, sanitising and the wearing of the mask would still need to be exercised. Any venue including schools is still limited to 50% capacity. It would therefore be wise for schools to have additional teachers as classes have to remain divided at 50% capacity until it is safe,” said Caluza.
Daily News