Johannesburg - Education authorities have moved to contain the impact of the crippling strike action by teachers with the Gauteng Department of Education on Wednesday calling on members of the community to volunteer their time to help learners.
Thousands of teachers affiliated to union federation Cosatu downed chalk on Wednesday following the unions' rejection of government's latest salary offer.
The mass action comes just two weeks before Grade 12 learners are due to sit for their preliminary evaluation and less than eight weeks before the scheduled final year exams.
Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi is scheduled to address a press conference later on Wednesday to report on government's position after the unions rejected the 7 percent salary increase and the R700 housing allowance.
Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy said officials in the province will do everything possible to ensure the strike had minimum impact on the learners especially those in matric. "Together with the volunteers, the Gauteng Education Department wants to do everything possible to ensure that this year's matrics are not forced to bear the brunt of the public service strike," she said.
Creecy said while the protest by teachers was protected, all role players had a "responsibility" to ensure that those who will write the final exams in less than two months were able to continue with their studies even under the "difficult" circumstances.
Learners too should be ready to do everything possible to ensure that they are prepared for their exams, she said.
"Under these conditions, the best way to learn is to establish voluntary study groups where learners can help each other go through past papers and study notes."
The province has announced that about 40 000 copies of study material will be distributed to all no-fee schools in a bid to support the learners in the absence of their teachers. Creecy said the material was available in subjects including Maths, Physical Science, Geography and Business Studies.
The department said it will also be distributing self-explanatory guidelines on how to study in groups while School Governing Bodies and community members will be roped in to help struggling learners.
"It is not necessary to have skills in subjects to help learners ...parents and other concerned citizens can volunteer to ensure learners get and use the study material and in the supervision of the study groups," Creecy said.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has also urged learners to use this time effectively through organising themselves into study groups to assist each other in preparation for the upcoming exams.
"Instead of staying at home expecting the unknown, learners must take charge in protecting their future by investing every minute of their time in education," said the agency's chairperson Andile Lungisa.
He said while acknowledging the legitimacy of the concerns and demands of public servants, "we similarly urge the employer and the various public service unions to resolve the impasse speedily in the interest of learners who represent the future of our country."
