Provinces ignore govt ruling on resumption of classes

As more pupils went back to school across the country on Monday, a number of provinces decided to go their own way and disregard Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s direction that Grades R, 6 and 11 should return to class.

While the Eastern Cape department of education broke ranks with the rest of the country by informing Grade R, 6 and 11 pupils not to return, KwaZulu-Natal disallowed the return of Grade Rs and Mpumalanga – without any official pronouncement – saw parents not letting pupils into classrooms.

In Limpopo, building pressure from unions and parents resulted in the provincial education department deciding to keep Grade R pupils at home.

The Western Cape – another Covid-19 ravaged province – saw a huge return to school, with education MEC Debbie Schafer raising concerns about pupils’ likelihood of dropping out of school should they stay home far longer.

While the provincial decisions might seem like a defiance of government and of Motshekga, political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga said: “What some provinces did, by disallowing a wholesale opening of classrooms, was in the best interest of children, parents and communities, during a globally spreading virus.”

“That they took those apparently defiant actions was because government never gave an assuring certainty to parents, pupils and communities.”

Government initially told people they could take their children to school, but did not have to if they did not want to – reflecting uncertainty on the part of authorities.

“Government is not in a position to talk defiance of authority, because it has never been firm on the exact plan on education.”

He also pointed out that returning pupils to class was “a difficult issue for provinces” and that the ongoing “improvisation in education” and decentralisation of decision-making made it “understandable why some are going their own way”.

Over the weekend, Motshekga announced that the council of education ministers agreed on the return to school by Grades R, 6 and 11, after considering “a number of variables, which included the rising community infections across the country”.

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