St Michael’s Private School ready … and waiting

Only four Grade Seven learners from St Michael’s Private School pitched for school on June 1, but due to the Department of Basic Education’s announcement on May 31, they were told to report back to school on June 8.

This comes after they were left confused following the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s swift postponement of her address, which was meant to provide clarity if Grade Seven and 12 learners should return to school as stated before for June 1.

In a statement released on Sunday evening, the department said the CEM was concerned that, in some provinces, personal protective equipment (PPEs) for learners had not been received and that some schools had not been made ready for their return.

“CEM took informed decisions to have schools continue to reopen on June 1, but with school management teams, teachers and non-teaching staff only arriving to prepare for the arrival of learners,” the department said in the statement.

According to the principal, Ronel Pretorius, they were ready to welcome the Grade Seven learners today.

“All the social distancing marking have been put in place, the whole school has been sanitised and the PPE’s for learners and are teachers are in order. Observing the social distancing protocols inside the classrooms, we have separated the tables in between each other. We also have isolation and cool down areas for the learners. We have prepared indemnity forms for both learners and teachers,” Pretorius said.

Pretorius further highlighted that the school has had problems with homeless people who are living the school.

“They have vandalised the palisade fence and stole numerous manholes inside the school. We have reported the matter the municipality and the police. This is really a health and safety problem for us,” she said.

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