Pretoria – The increased risk of infection led to Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga’s announcement this week that only grades R, 6, and 11 would return to school on Monday - joining Grades 7 and 12 who returned on June 8 - with other grades to be phased in later.
Originally, the plan was for grades 1,2,3 and 10 to also go back next week with the other grades on August 3.
Teacher unions Sadtu and Naptosa slammed the decision to allow a second batch of schoolchildren to return on Monday as some schools were still struggling with the first batch.
Naptosa’s Basil Manuel said they pleaded with the department not
to allow more grades to go back until August. Parents and teachers are worried that sending more pupils to schools could potentially put pressure on the system already overwhelmed by the growing number of Covid-19 cases.
But Education Department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said while the department understood parents’ concerns, work continued to ensure everyone would be safe at school.
Schools closed in March before the national lockdown came into force and a changing reality has led to a differentiated approach being adopted within time frames stipulated as per government gazette of June 29.
“We will adjust the re-opening phases based on the risk-adjusted strategy which is a considered attempt to balance our approach to school reopening taking into account all factors that affect the work we do.
“We recognise that schools are based in communities and learners live in the same affected communities and therefore a careful balancing act must be maintained,” said Motshekga following the decision by the Council of Education Ministers.
Mhlanga said five reports that were considered pertained to timetabling and curriculum fundamentals per grade, the registration and support for pupils whose parents elected to keep them home but did not register for home schooling, support for pupils with comorbidities and assessments and exams.
A further briefing is expected at the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, has reserved judgment in the application concerning the
reopening of the National School Nutrition Programme.