Grade 7 and 12 learners started their first week of school, during the Covid-19 pandemic, on Monday (8 June) after the delay of a week for further preparations.
Lourens Foen, deputy principal of Promosa Primary School says so far, things have been going smoothly, the School Governing Body(SGB), School Management Team (SMT) and staff members have been hands-on to ensure that everything is ready and prepared for the learner’s arrival.
In the mornings, learners stand in a queue with masks on, while observing social distancing, before entering the schoolyard.
Their hands are then sanitised, temperatures are taken and recorded. The learners are also screened.
The same process is carried out for staff members and visitors to the school.
Glenville Fransman, the School Governing Body chairperson says they had anticipated that school attendance for their grade 7 learners would not be 100% as parents may still be concerned about the safety of their children.
“We the SGB and SMT did everything possible to ensure their safety. There was assistance from all teachers, staff, temporary screeners, and cleaners to make sure everything is in order for their return,” Fransman reassures.
A similar process also occurs at several schools, like M.L. Fick School and Botoka Technical High School.
However, according to the deputy principal of Botoka Technical High School, Molifi Ketshabile, they experienced a challenge with the thermal scanner on Monday (8 June) morning and couldn’t get the temperature readings. But, after informing the Department of Education, the learners and staff members were released early.
Ketshabile further says the Department responded promptly and by Tuesday morning, the thermal scanner was replaced and the sanitising and screening process was carried out as planned.
Read more in this week’s edition (11 June) of Potchefstroom Herald Newspaper
