Two days back the two Educators Trade Unions; Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), and Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) met with the Minister of Basic Education- Honourable Fidelis Mmilili Molao. Though he promised to come back with a response to teachers’ grieviences today, it turns out the wait will be a bit longer.
The Educators Trade Unions had a meeting with the Minister in which they stated their conditions of going back to work. In short, the teachers made it clear to the Minister that they will not go back to classes until they get vaccinated.
In their update following the one issued the past two (2) days, BTU and BOSETU announced;
“At point 10 of the communiquΓ© of the 10th of August 2021, we indicated that the Educators Unions (BOSETU & BTU) would meet the Honourable Minister of Basic Education on 12th August 2021 to get feedback on the matters that were discussed at the meeting of 10th August 2021; being the COVIDβ 19 Vaccination Prioritization Plan for Teachers and the Re β Opening Date for Schools.
Be notified that we have received information from the office of the Minister of Basic Education(MoBE) that Government is still engaging on the matters as stated above, and as such, the Minister promised to give feedback once the decision has been taken which we hope will not be later than Friday 13 August 2021.
In the spirit of reasonability, the Unions have since accepted the request of the postponement.
The two Unions, however, remind members to remain steady fast to the resolve of βNo Vaccine, No Classesβ.
The Union leadership will in due course provide implementation logistics of carrying out this decision.”
The schools are supposed to re-open in three (3) days time (17 August 2021). Now with the teachers intensifying the “No vaccine, No classes” campaign, it looks like the government will have to postpone and fast track teachers vaccination.
