If the Department of Basic Education has its way, schools should reopen next week, 6 May.
However, the Western Cape Education Department says it is not ready to reopen. Meanwhile, most parents, polled by the Daily Voice, said they would not be sending their children to school in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Briefing a joint meeting of parliamentary committees on Wednesday, DBE’s director-general Mathanzima Mweli said there was a “tentative” plan that would be phased in, seeing Grades 7 and 12 returning to school next Wednesday.
The other grades would start classes in staggered phases between May and July.
Teachers are to return on Monday, followed by pupils two days later.
We are not ready to reopen, says WCED. File picture: Matthew Jordaan/African News Agency (ANA)
But, Western Cape Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer said on Wednesday that her department is in no position to welcome learners back to the classroom.
“Western Cape learners will not return to school next week,” Schäfer said in a statement.
“In a presentation to national parliament (on Wednesday), the Department of Basic Education made a presentation with tentative dates for the reopening of schools in the country.
“These dates were not definite and do not constitute an official announcement.
“This has caused an understandable level of confusion and anxiety for schools, teachers and parents.”
She said Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga is scheduled to make an announcement today on the official plan to reopen schools.
NOT READY: Debbie Schäfer
“We will only be in a position to comment in more detail after that.
“However, we will not be in a position to receive learners next week,” adds Schäfer.
Mweli said a team of lawyers are working on a list of safety measures that schools need to sign off on to prevent lawsuits from parents.
“If we don’t (put) reasonable measures in place to ensure schools are safe, we will be sued left, right and centre,” he said.
Basic requirements would include adequate water supply to enable frequent hand-washing, while classroom numbers would have to be kept below 40, he added.
No direct contact would be allowed and cloth masks would be worn by pupils and teachers.
In addition, there would be screening of the temperatures of pupils and teachers daily.
“The lost school days will be recovered by shortening the June holidays to five days and [the] September holiday to a long weekend in order to make up for these days.
“The fourth term will also be lengthened to close on 9 December 2020 for learners and 11 December 2020 for teachers.”
PLANNING: Min. Motshekga
But more than 700 parents polled by the Daily Voice on Wednesday indicated they would not be sending their kids to school until the Covid-19 curve has been flattened.
Warda Diedericks said: “My child can rather repeat the year than put his life in danger.”
Sharon Werthen commented: “Nooooo too soon, (Covid-19) will spread like wildfire. SA does not have the utilities and manpower to control hundreds of kids in classes, it’s madness!”
Tazniem Sadan Franke suggested: “Why don’t they ask parents to collect work for the kids weekly. Create weekly sheets with pick up and drop off at school. Therefore all kids will get work and teachers can monitor. It’s more paper yes, but our kids are safe indoors. Not all kids have access to the internet to work online.”
But, Riana Parker says a phased in approach could work: “I think personally if they do screen these kids and if these kids practice to wash their hands like they did at home and if they wear a mask then I don’t see any problem.”
Learners in the country have not seen the inside of a classroom since schools closed in mid-March due to Covid-19.