DBE not deterred by crowded classrooms

Concerns over crowded classrooms will not stop the department of basic education from finishing the curriculum while observing Covid protocols.

Yesterday, Minister Angie Motshekga visited a school in Mangaung, Free State, that taught full capacity classrooms.

“It was indeed working. We would assess the issues and difficulties that came up,” she said.

Motshekga said she was aware teachers’ unions wrote a letter to the department regarding grievances about the social distancing rule of 1m in schools.

“We will be meeting them and give them a report because initially we all agreed on the 1m-rule. We always consider all
measures which help to have as many pupils as possible at in schools.

“We would explore different measures such as using a school hall as we had to ensure pupils were back to school but must also keep them safe,” she said.

The South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) media officer, Nomusa Cembi, said the union monitored situations at primary schools and was unhappy.

“Going back to using their rotational timetable was a better option, because the full-capacity option was not a good idea. Schools should follow the deviation provisions contained in the Gazette as it explained other possibilities that could be explored,” she said.

Other unions were not consulted about the proposed reduced social distance of 0.5m in primary schools, Cembi said.

These include the National Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa, National Teachers Union South Africa and Professional Educators Union.

“It was our contention the matter must be the subject of genuine consultations with the organised teaching profession. It must also be supported by scientific evidence that the planned reduction would not lead to further infections among pupils, educators and members of the broader community,” Cembi said.

The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said the proposal was not new.

“This is an old proposal. The department sought to explore it as part of militating against the learning losses, but the final decision will be made by NCCC and Cabinet.

“It was important to note this was initially a recommendation but was changed when the delta variant came about,” Mhlanga said.

A mathematics teacher at a township school said he was against teaching a full classroom.

“Our classrooms were already overcrowded before the pandemic and now it was more difficult to monitor their progress because teachers cannot move around the classroom and this affects their marks at the end of the term.”

– asandam@citizen.co.za