Schools reopen in W Cape
2010-09-07 10:48
Aldi Schoeman, Die Burger
Cape Town - Teachers and pupils are returning to several schools which have been closed over the past few weeks due to the strike.
"We called on all our members to go back to school (on Tuesday)," said Jonavon Rustin, provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) on Monday.
On Monday, 82 of the province's 1 478 schools were closed.
The union said it would meet with the Western Cape education department to discuss what could be done about the incomplete curriculum and the September exams that were disrupted in places.
There were only three weeks left before schools closed for the school holidays on September 23.
At the end of last week, a total of 61 schools in the province had disrupted September exams or had not even started writing exams, the province's education department said.
This exam comprised 25% of the matrics' final marks.
Camps
The education department last week announced plans to organise camps from 23 to 30 September for Grade 12 pupils who were affected most by the strike.
"We are still committed to all Grade 12 pupils writing the exam by the end of September," said Donald Grant, the Western Cape MEC for education.
Health workers will also return to hospitals and clinics on Tuesday.
"While we are striking, workers will not accept the offer because they are emotional. As soon as they go back to work, they have the opportunity to think clearly about it," said James Kruger, the Western Cape Chairperson of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu).