SADTU Concerned About The Adverse Impact Of Eskom’s Load Shedding On Matric Exams

SADTU has called on Eskom, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and all other relevant authorities to urgently find a reasonable mechanism to reduce the adverse impact of load-shedding on the current National Senior Certificate examinations.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said the Department of Basic Education should urgently consult with Eskom and, based on such consultations, respond accordingly to minimise the disruptions which cause collective trauma to both learners and teachers.

Cembi added that the current load-shedding by Eskom is having an adverse impact on leaners and students at this critical time of the academic year.

“The current situation, regardless of the reasons or circumstances under which it happens, adversely affect the right of learners to education and has a direct adverse impact on their emotional and psychological being,” said Cembi.

“In many other instances learners will be exposed to safety and security risks particularly in those instances where alternative arrangements are made to enable them to study and prepare away from their homes.”

Sadtu has also called on the Department of Basic Education to put in place measures to ensure that learners and students who arrive late for their examinations and who require electricity supply to conduct examination are not prejudiced.

“We also call on the Department of Basic Education to afford all learners who have missed their examination as a result of load shedding to be afforded an opportunity to write those examinations during this examination session,” said Cembi.

“We further call on the government to investigate the allegations that the technician ignored the red light warning of low oil that led to the tripping three days before the elections. It is our considered view that this was a sabotage to support the call for the firing of the ESKOM board and those who are dealing with the rot that was characterising ESKOM.”

On Thursday, Eskom announced that Stage 2 would be implemented from midday and that power cuts would end on Friday at 5am.

Earlier this week, Eskom implemented Stage 4 and later Stage 3 load shedding to allow the utility to fully replenish its emergency generation reserves.

“While Eskom regrets the escalation in load shedding, it is necessary to ration the remaining emergency generation reserves, which have been utilised extensively this morning as we are not getting the reduction in demand as expected from the implementation of Stage 2 load shedding,“ it said at the time.

“It was anticipated that an additional seven units would have returned to service by Monday, and this has not materialised. Further, a generating unit at Arnot power station tripped, contributing to the shortages.”

* Inside Education