Durban - THE Wentworth Combined School Governing Body Forum will prevent the reopening of its nine schools, describing this as “a death trap”, until the provincial Department of Education has met Covid-19 regulations.
The governing body had written to the department, and also addressed the letter to teachers’ unions and school principals, on Sunday stating its intentions. The letter, which it says was the result of an “unprecedented and historic meeting”, was signed by the governing body chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of Assegai Primary School, Austerville Primary School, Collingwood Primary School, Durban East Primary School, Gardenia Primary School, Wentworth Primary School, Fairvale Secondary School, Umbilo Secondary School and Wentworth Secondary.
The forum was also at loggerheads with the Department of Education regarding whose responsibility it was to appoint cleaners.
The insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essentials in some schools had led to education stakeholders, including teacher unions, describing the reopening of schools as “a death trap for pupils and teachers”.
According to the letter, the forum had decided that no schooling would take place in Wentworth schools until it was satisfied with the safety of the children and that of teachers.
“Schools should be the last to return after every other sector of the economy has returned.
“The education of our children is important, but far more important is having a child alive because we protected them, than to have a dead child because we failed to act in their best interest even though the facts were before us,” read the letter.
It further stated that classroom spaces were not conducive for physical distancing, and teachers could not be expected to monitor and sanitise pupils as well as teach.
Forum spokesperson Clint Leverton said they were unhappy with some of the processes, and that assurances given by the department had not been met to ensure the smooth transition to the “new normal”.
According to a recent circular issued by the department, school governing bodies (SGBs) and school principals were instructed to source the services of co-operatives for the purpose of cleaning.
It also stated that the department was offering a stipend of R150 per day for a small school with nine classrooms, R200 per day for a medium school with 15 classrooms, R250 per day for a large school with 25 classrooms and R300 per day for a mega-school with more than 25 classrooms, including hostels.
Leverton said SBGs had not been instructed by the department as they were not department employees.
“The rates being offered for cleaners are an insult to the integrity of the working person, comparative to that of apartheid forced labour,” he said.
Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi acknowledged the letter and urged parents to guard against the infringing of the basic right of children to have access to education.
“The department has committed to ensuring that all non-negotiables are attended to before the reopening of schools.”
The National Association of School Governing Bodies felt the department was correct to ask the SGBs to appoint the cleaners.
Spokesperson Mtakanye Matakanye said that SGBs would have to come forward with tangible evidence why they felt schools were not safe.
“They must come with the evidence that schools have not been cleaned, that there is no PPE, or no plans of social distancing put in place in schools,” said Matakanye.
Vee Gani, the chairperson of the KZN Parents’ Association, warned that there would be consequences against the school principals and SGBs who refused to reopen schools.
“We are over the debate on whether schools should reopen or not. The directive from the Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and the province is that schools will reopen,” he said.
“SGBs do not have the authority to close schools. However, parents have a choice of whether or not to send their children to school.”