/ 11 April 2012

Over 1 000 teachers absent after Easter break

Over 1 000 teachers did not arrive for the start of the second school term on Tuesday, pleading exhaustion after a sports day.

Over 1 000 teachers did not arrive for the start of the second school term on Tuesday, pleading exhaustion after a sports day, according to a report on Wednesday.

The Professional Educators’ Union (PEU) sent a letter to various schools informing them that some of their staff would be too tired to work because they had attended the Annual Association of Teachers’ Unions of Southern Africa Games in Windhoek, Namibia, the Star newspaper reported.

“Owing to fatigue and exhaustion due to long travelling distances from Windhoek to South Africa, the union applied for time off for members, who will be unable to report for duty on April 10, 2012,” the union wrote.

The letter was signed by PEU general secretary Ben Machipi, who told the Star the teachers had applied for annual leave.

The games included sports such as soccer, netball and volleyball. — Sapa