Johannesburg – Cabinet is expected to meet on Thursday to make a final decision about whether schools will be closed until the end of the Covid-19 peak in the country.
Teacher union met with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Tuesday to relay their concerns and pleaded with government to shut schools in order to protect learners and teachers from contracting the virus.
Many speculated that an announcement could be made later on Wednesday.
The National Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) said that they are hoping the matter will be finalised soon.
“But we don’t have an emphatic response and I will leave that to the minister to announce later. We certainly hope that the announcement will be one we wanted,” said Naptosa’s executive director Basil Manuel
Manuel also said that Basic Education Ministerc Angie Motshegwa would report back to union sat 7pm.
Over the past few weeks, teachers and parents in various communities have been protesting, calling for schools to close as infections increase.
Pupils in grades R, 6, 7, 11, and 12 are officially back at school, but the Department made it clear from the beginning that parents could keep their children at home and home school them.
Some unions called for pupils and teachers to stay at home for at least the next month, while there are those that wanted Grade 7 and 12 to return sooner.
