'Why treat private schools so special?'

Johannesburg – Teacher unions have hit out at the government following its decision to allow private schools to remain open.

“This thing of perpetuating the inequalities has got to stop,” said Sadtu general-secretary Mugwena Maluleke. The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools believes government hasn’t acted in the best interests of learners. “The decision to allow private schools to stay open deepens and entrenches inequality,” said chief executive Paul Colditz.

He said the advice of the World Health Organization did not distinguish which school system would be affected by Covid-19.IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa accused the government of making decisions based on politics instead of acting in the best interests of learners. “There was very glaring inequality and differential treatment of public and private schools in his announcement,” said Hlengwa.

“If they feel like the circumstances in the specific environment is safe enough, they will remain open so that is the principle on which we have been negotiating and the department has accepted that.” He said while the government attributed the temporary public school closure to the country’s peak in Covid-19 infections, it was not this simplistic.

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