North Coast schools adopt a new normal as phased reopening begins

A number of local schools began a staged reopening on Monday, welcoming back the first wave of students since closing more than two months ago in the national coronavirus lockdown.

However most government schools in Stanger and Tongaat remained closed until next Monday, as education minister Angie Motshekga said they did not have to open if they were not well prepared.

While grade 7s and 12s were expected back in class on Monday, June 1, an eleventh-hour about turn saw many schools push back their reopening date to June 8, after unions and governing bodies raised concerns about the readiness of some schools.

Teacher unions criticised the basic education department’s decision to move ahead with reopening despite possible risks.

Motshekga said her department had faced several challenges, including the vandalism of schools during the national lockdown and the shortage of personal protective equipment.

Despite these hurdles, Motshekga said she was confident schools would be ready to accommodate pupils next week. She said the biggest challenge would be the phasing in of other grades.

While unions are still not convinced that schools would be ready, Motshekga said it would be impossible to wait for the complete eradication of the virus before reopening schools.

“Life has to move on,” she said.

In the regulations published on May 29, 2020, the department outlines that grades R, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 11 and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres will return to school on July 6. From August 3, 2020, grades 4, 5, 8 and 9 will also return to school.

While the department has mapped out the dates of return, this will only take place if schools have complied with the minimum health, safety and social distancing measures on Covid-19.

Teachers and pupils must have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing of 1.5 metres must be adhered to and screening must be done each day before entering the premises. Pupils must also be able to sanitise and wash their hands.

In the event that school teachers become infected with Covid-19, Motshekga said the department would hire more teachers.

ALSO VIEW: PICS: Pupils return to North Coast schools Umhlali and Ashton

Parents who choose not to send their children back to school have to apply to the department head, who may exempt a pupil either entirely, partially or conditionally from compulsory school attendance, if it is in the best interests of the pupil.

Parents who choose not to send their children back to school have to apply for home education in terms of the South African School Act.

Parents with children with underlying health conditions must apply to the provincial department head for exemption.

Ashton International College welcomed back their grade seven and grade 12 pupils on Monday, saying the school had been preparing for weeks for the reopening.

Ashton’s marketing manager Jeannie Habig said they had a great response with the reopening of the school, recording a 96 percent attendance for matrics while grade 7s registered a 69 percent attendance rate.

“The register for the students have been revised into block timetables, and therefore they only changed classrooms twice. The pupils also only come into school for any one of their subjects three times a week instead of five times a week.

“Obviously everyone was a little anxious, and students were given the option to call home if they did not want to stay the entire day. It was an enthusiastic group of students who returned, and we have been very well supported by our parents,” she said.

Crawford North Coast and Curro Mt Richmore also welcomed back their first batch of pupils while a few private schools who took the decision to remain closed are now expected to return to class next week.

The Independent Schools’ Association of Southern Africa (Isasa) said the majority of independent schools had been in session remotely over the lockdown phases and some had taken a conservative view on when pupils would return to school premises.

Motshekga had been consistent that independent, special and small schools, as a result of their sizes, could phase pupils back differently.

Sizani Combined School delayed reopening as, according to management, the education department had yet to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for their pupils.

They were also waiting to receive training on health and safety standards.

The school has 97 pupils divided into two grade 7 classes and concerns raised were most notably related to social distancing.

In order to comply with social distancing requirements, there has to be a maximum of 20 learners per class.

All events at schools, including sport, choir, arts and culture festivals, remain suspended.

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