Motshekga questions teachers earning full pay at home if schools close

- The discussions around closing SA schools amid Covid-19 has brought some possible bad news with it for teachers

- The debate between the Department of Education and unions saw Minister Motshekga questioning why educators should be paid in full to stay at home

- This comes as pressure mounts to empty classrooms ahead of the expected spike in coronavirus cases

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

Minister Angie Motshekga reportedly wants to know why teachers should receive their full salaries for staying home while other civil servants are at work.

This comes after meetings between unions and the Department of Basic Education over schools closing due to the expected peak in Covid-19 infections.

Five unions in the Education Labour Relations Council had made it clear that schools should shut in the face of increasing risk from Covid-19.

SowetanLIVE reports that National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa executive committee member Basil Manuel insists that it is the government's responsibility to provide teachers with the resources to work from home.

"Nobody is asking for another break or to give teachers a holiday, this [calling for schooling to be immediately suspended] is done due to the pandemic. We are saying there are many children that even with the best intention in the world, will not access anything online even if it's on TV. We are saying we must create workbooks which are put together and they can go hand them out."

READ ALSO: Fact Check: No, Ramaphosa didn't order Motshekga to shut down schools

Meanwhile, the Department of Education has slammed a controversial report as fake news after it claimed that President Cyril Ramaphosa had ordered Motshekga to cancel the school year.

Briefly.co.za reported that the false article had detailed how Ramaphosa was 'disappointed' in Motshekga's leadership during the pandemic. In a statement released in response to this post, the Department of Education distanced itself:

"There is news of our president calling on Minister Angie Motshekga to cancel the school year. This is not true, please do not fall prey to fake news. When in doubt check the source, and confirm the news via reputable news sites."

Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly News