High levels of anxiety at Phoenix, KwaMashu schools: Sadtu
KwaZulu-Natal unions say teachers are feeling positive about the weeks ahead.
The unions have added that there were no major issues when pupils returned to school on Monday for the start of the third term.
The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa's Thirona Moodley says there was a good turnout for the first day back, despite threats of more protest action in some areas.
"Teaching and learning took place as a normal school day. Those schools that have been vandalised, looted and destroyed did put in place come kind of contingency plan to actually start teaching and learning for the third term and we optimistic that when all primary school learners arrive on the 2nd of August teachers and the school management will be ready to receive them."
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The South African Democratic Teachers Union's Nomarashiya Caluza says some learners and teachers in areas hard hit by the recent violence, are going to need psychosocial support.
"There are schools that when we visited, we could see that tensions are still high. There is anxiety, especially around Phoenix and KwaMashu, and our message is that when learners are at school and teachers, they must look at each other as classmates, schoolmates and colleagues."
