‘95% of schools across the country ready to reopen’ – Motshekga

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has announced that 95% of schools have reached the necessary levels of sanitation and “Covid-19 related imperatives” to reopen tomorrow.

During her briefing on the readiness off schools to reopen in the coming week, Motshekga said the focus will now be on ensuring the remaining 5% are assisted in ensuring they can also meet the requirements to reopen.

Motshekga stressed that no school would be allowed to reopen without meeting all the requirements, and conceded that one of the biggest challenges was that of sanitation.

“The golden rule is, there will be no school that will resume, if not ready to do so,” Motshekga said.

She stressed that though that “no learner will be left behind” on reopening.

“For the remaining 5% or so learners alternative measures have been developed by different districts such as temporarily using neighboring schools, using underutilized spaces in boarding schools and putting other learners in camps. Because some of the alternatives need consultations with parents, provinces will be engaging parents and following the appropriate protocols to get parental concessions.”

She detailed the continued focus on ensuring the rollout of measures to bring schools up to standard.

“We have solicited the support and assistance of the South African National Defence, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), and Mvula Trust to collaborate with the Department, Provinces and Rand Water to accelerate the provision of water and sanitation in outstanding schools.

“We are cooperating with the Department of Transport to ensure that learner transport provided, does meet the health, safety and social distancing measures and requirements on COVID-19. This will include scholar transport for learners with special education needs.

We are continuing to work with the Departments of Health and Social Development to ensure that health and psychosocial needs of the school communities are met.”

Motshekga also reminded that the updated regulations for the reopening of schools make provision for those parents who are still hesitant to send their children to school tomorrow.

She also said there is a continuing process to revise the 2020 school calendar, in order to accommodate the “peculiarities’ brought by the novel COVID-19 pandemic”.

They have also formulated plans to deal with comorbidities among educators, and an agreement with unions is nearly complete. This will include Standard Operating Procedures which will be circulated among schools to “ensure that schools are able to manage identified infections among educators, learners, educators and support staff.”

“Where practicably possible, learners from the “not-so-ready schools”, will be moved to neighbouring schools that meet the health, safety and social distancing set measures and requirements. The teaching and learning programmes provided online will continue; and parents who are uneasy to send their children back to school, must follow the law to ensure that their children’s right to basic education is unhindered.”

According to the latest figures announced, the number of provinces which were classified as low risk improved from two to six provinces.

The number of provinces classified as showing medium risk levels, has improved from the seven which were classified as medium risk (4) and high risk (3) on 30 May, to three provinces.

The variances among provinces were attributed to a variety of factors, “including but not limited to vandalism in 1 672 schools; interfering with the deliveries of essentials to schools; induction and orientation of educators and support staff, water and sanitation not yet provided to some schools, faulty thermometers…”

More to follow

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