Smooth sailing for Riverview Prep as it welcomes learners back
Riverview Prep welcomed back its grades six and seven classes on Monday June 1.
This is after the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa, to which Riverview belongs, announced that independent schools were allowed to reopen and phase in the rest of their grades as they saw fit.
This was as long as they met the stringent protocols communicated by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in the fight to stop the rapid spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
On Monday, Riverview welcomed back grades three, four and five and on Wednesday grades naught, one and two.
“Proceedings went smoothly and it is wonderful to have the children back on the school premises,” said headmaster, Gareth Dry.
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Riverview has put in place strict preventative measures and other protocols to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
A DBE representative, Joyce Qwabe, did a thorough inspection of the school and was very impressed with the preparations it had made.
Due to the programme of online learning that Riverview followed during lockdown, teachers have managed, on the whole, to stay on top of the curriculum.
For this reason the school will not be altering its school holidays and term dates.
“The pupils, teachers and parents have been working hard over the past nine weeks and are all a bit tired and stressed. We all need a break.”
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Dry said he would like to encourage all children who are healthy and able to attend school to do so.
‘’Even though it will only be for a few days it is important, not just from an educational point of view, but from a social and psychological one that kids be allowed to socialise, see their friends and get back to some sort of normality” he said.
Distance learning will continue for those who are not able to come back to school yet and they will certainly not be prejudiced.
