DURBAN - TEACHER UNIONS are hoping that everything goes well at matric marking centres, and that markers won’t be exposed to Covid-19 during the period.
Marking of scripts began yesterday and will end on December 22.
Basil Manuel, of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa), said yesterday that they had made a call to markers to ensure that they get vaccinated.
He added that the union would be checking from province to province to ensure that marking centres are following the Covid-19 protocols.
He said ideally they would want markers to be tested for Covid-19 when they arrived at centres.
“We are worried that the good example set by the Eastern Cape last year, when they tested every marker that arrived at the marking centre, is not being done everywhere, which is a call we’ve made.
“We are worried (about the risk) in a congested environment where people have to work closely together, because we have been told by the scientists that Covid is an airborne issue. We do not want to expose our membership, and teachers in general, unnecessary.”
Ben Machipi of the Professional Educators Union (PEU), said they were satisfied with the Covid-19 protocols that had been put in place at the marking centres.
“Fortunately, this is the continuation of what was happening in last year’s marking.
“We had, however, urged our observers and markers in particular, to ensure that there is no lapse in safety measures, and that they shouldn’t hesitate to raise alarm bells in situations where safety protocols are being ignored,” he said.
Education MEC in KZN Kwazi Mshengu urged the markers to take the responsibility seriously.
Mshengu said the markers should know that each and every script represents a human being and livelihood, not only of the individual candidate, but of their families as well.
“As a department we have done everything to ensure that all marking centres follow all the Covid-19 protocols, and we also urge the markers to follow them, because their safety is paramount to us as the department,” he said.
Furthermore, he said KZN has a total of 7 054 markers, 1 920 examination assistants, 1 411 senior markers, 417 marking rooms, 273 deputy chief markers, 66 chief markers, 29 marking venues and 29 marking centre managers.
The province administered examinations for 201107 candidates.
There were 178262 full-time candidates, 22845 part-time candidates, 1702 full-time writing centres and 75 part-time writing centres.
The Department of Basic Education said it was working with the Department of Health to ensure all marking centres are fully compliant with the health and safety protocols.
THE MERCURY