Naptosa KZN says closure of schools during elections ‘will harm pupils’ futures’
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa in KwaZulu-Natal has warned that school closures during elections will harm pupils’ futures.
KZN Electoral Commission spokesperson Thabani Ngwira earlier announced that three-thousand-754 schools and ECD centres will be used as polling stations.
The spokesperson for the provincial Education Department, Muzi Mahlambi, cited safety as the reason for the closures.
ALSO READ: Early voting underway in South African elections
Mahlambi said electoral officials may need access to the schools before and after the polls.
Mahlambi said the pause in learning shouldn’t affect the academic program, as each school has its own recovery plan in place.
The June exams scheduled to take place the week after the elections will be pushed back to give pupils time to catch up on their school work.
"IEC material is sensitive material. We don’t want our educators and our learners to be around and interfere. There are some voting districts that have been identified as high-risk areas,” Mahlambi said.
However, Naptosa provincial CEO Thirona Moodley said that despite the elections being an important democratic process, pupils’ education should not be jeopardised.
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