Motshekga provides details on the reopening of schools

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Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has released details of the phased return to schooling as the country moves from Level 5 of lockdown restrictions to Level 4 from Friday.

She issued a wide-ranging statement on Thursday following consultations with stakeholders.

Motshekga said that the National Coronavirus Command Council approved that the School Calendar for 2020 be adjusted as follows; 

• Office-based staff to return to work on 4^th May 2020. This is in line with the directive from the Department of Public Service and Administration.
• School Management Teams should return to work on the 11^th May 2020. 
• This, we have done to ensure that the School Management Teams prepare the schools prior to the return of learners.
• Teachers return to work on 18 May 2020 and then Grade 12 and 7 learners go back to school on the 1^st of June 2020. 

“As I said earlier the plan to have officials in the schools to receive the material that is required for the safety measures but also to prepare the school for learning and teaching under the new conditions,” Motshekga said.

 She also announced that the following measures are contained in their plans for social distancing.

 Physical distances in classrooms include not more than 2 learners sharing desks;

• No hugging or handshaking;
• Direct contact must be avoided;
• Cloth masks to be worn by learners and teachers at all times; 
• No mass public events.  All sports matches, choral practices and festivals, eisteddfods are not permitted; and
• Extra classes should be arranged in small groups that maintain social distancing.

 Infrastructure and Furniture: 

• Sanitize classrooms prior to the start of school day;
• sanitize hands on entering of classrooms;
• Limit movement of learners between classes; and
• No clustering of desks in classrooms.

 Transport: 

• We are working with the Department of Transport to ensure that buses are sanitized prior to start of all trips;
• Everybody to sanitize hands on entering of the buses;
• The distance between learners in the buses must be managed; and
• The wearing of masks throughout the school day, starting before boarding transport, is compulsory.

On School Fees

 The CEM took note of the concern, regarding the issues of school fees.  We indicated from the start, that school fees are payable, where the children attend fee-paying schools. 

We received reports that in some schools, parents did not pay fees; and this has affected the salaries of SGB-appointed teachers. 

It was agreed that provinces would look into the matter, to find an amicable but implementable solution.  In the meantime, we urge all parents to continue paying school fees. 

If you cannot pay, because your circumstances have changed as a result of the COVID-19, please approach the school, and communicate your challenges with them.

The Recovery Plan

In the past weeks, we have worked with provinces to prepare for the reopening of schools.

Each province, district, circuit and school, must have a practical and comprehensive catch-up plan to be implemented.  The plans must talk to the risk profiles of the areas in which schools are located, and this must be based on the infection rate in the specific geographic areas.

The decisions that are taken, are based on scientific considerations. We have been advised to adopt a phased approach in the reopening of schools.  Uppermost in our planning, is the health and safety of our school communities – particularly learners and teachers.

Minister Motshekga said that the school calendar will be gazette once the administrative work has been completed.