Elvis Masoga: ‘Dept of Education is gambling with the lives of learners’
With terrifying shock and grinding disbelief, last week I perused a leaked document authored by the National Department of Basic Education. That strangely unscientific and clinically dangerous document is titled: "Framework for Curriculum Recovery Plan - Post Covid-19".
Despite the lack of scientific modelling abstraction in that document, it makes some startling propositions and fatally risky recommendations. In spite of the catastrophic danger posed by coronavirus to humanity, the Education Department is seeking to reopen schools as soon as 6 May. As we certainly know, all creches, schools and tertiary institutions have been closed since president Cyril Ramaphosa imposed a nationwide lockdown as from 26 March. In that leaked document, the Education Department is dangerously and prematurely plotting to reopen schools in a phased-in approach, starting with Grades 7 and 12 learners.
The country’s statistical rates of daily infections and fatalities have been increasing dramatically since last friday (17 April). The most scientific inference is that the aggregate infection risk has increased from ‘moderate to serious’. In light of that fatal disjuncture, it is bizarrely unintelligent and terribly inhumane for the Education Department to consider reopening schools so soon. Schools are high-density populated terrains which are extremely vulnerable to the rapid spread of the deadly Covid-19. Basic Education minister, Angie Motshekga is putting the lives of millions of learners at grave risk by seeking to reopen schools so prematurely.
It is practically impossible for all school learners to comply with the preventative and precautionary measures against Covid-19 whilst at school. We must remember that people can potentially get infected with the virus when they touch any infected objects or hard surfaces. The virus can also spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs or spits saliva whilst talking to another person(s) in close proximity. The structural designs and congestive capacities of our schools are highly vulnerable to the exponential spread of Covid-19 infections.
Minister Motshekga’s mooted reopening of schools is tantamount to sending millions of learners to slaughterhouses. The minister is terminally obsessed with incremental Matric Results to an extent that she is even prepared to sacrifice the health and lives of millions of school learners. For now, Government must endorse long-distance or online learning for all schools. Motshekga’s proposal is gravely unscientific and fatally dangerous.
elvismasoga123@gmail.com
