THE date for re-opening of schools has, once again, been pushed back with the Department of Basic Education’s Angie Motshekga announcing that Monday, 8 June is now the official date to begin phasing in.
Many parents are in a quandary as to whether or not sending their children to school is a wise choice. Here is a look at some of the most dominating questions regarding this new phase.
1. Are all grades going back on Monday, 8 June?
The Department of Basic Education is doing a phased-in approach to the re-opening of schools, starting with the Grade 12 and Grade 7 classes. However, independent schools that have the correct precautionary measures in place have been given permission to open up more grades if they are able to cope.
2. Do parents have to send their children back to school?
No, however, the Department of Basic Education has stipulated that those who do not return must either register for home schooling or the child could repeat their grade. Certain independent schools will be offering dual online and class teaching for a period of time.
3. What PPE are schools receiving?
All schools will receive Covid-19 essentials including hand sanitisers, masks and water.
4. What other precautionary measures are in place?
Schools must implement measures to prevent any potential viral transmission, including:
· Providing water, sanitation and waste management facilities
· Environmental cleaning and decontamination procedures;
· Disinfection measures to clean high traffic areas at the start and end of each day, and regularly during the course of the day;
· Cleaning with soap and water and/or wiping with alcohol or chlorine-based solution;
· For individual children, measures such as physical distancing (pupils at least 1.5 metres apart), masks and regular handwashing with soap or sanitiser.
5. What about children with co-morbidities?
The Department of Basic Education is urging parents to alert schools to any pre-existing illnesses, so that they can be assisted. According to the South African Paediatric Association (SAPA), children with severe immunosuppression, uncorrected significant congenital heart conditions, chronic organ failure, chronic severe respiratory disease and severe neurodevelopmental disability should stay at home.
6. Are Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre’s opening?
These currently fall under the Department of Social Development although ECD’s are in the process of moving to the Department of Basic Education. As it stands, ECD’s are to remain closed but an announcement will be made on the re-opening soon.
7. Is it safe to send children to school?
There is much support from the medical fraternity for the return of children to school. According to SAPA, the postponement of re-entry to school to reduce transmission risk to negligible would entail a delay of many months before schools could reopen. The research is indicating that children rarely get ill from Covid-19 and their role in passing on the virus is inconclusive. A report in the Financial Mail outlined research by a group of paediatricians called ‘Don’t Forget the Bubbles’ (DFTB), along with the UK Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health. Having reviewed 129 studies on children and Covid-19, they concluded that more than 99% of them aren’t at risk of developing severe illness and complications from the virus. A study in Iceland – testing antibodies of 9 000 people – also indicated children are also less likely to catch Covid-19 and also less likely to transmit it.
Despite the assurances, there are always risks, and it will be up to the parents to decide whether or not sending their children back to school is the best choice for them.
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