Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Education is ready for the reopening of schools on Monday for an estimated 300000 pupils in grades 7 and 12.
On Friday schools completed deep cleaning and finalised other measures such as spacing desks, creating one-way movement, and putting up signs ahead of welcoming back pupils.
On Monday, when they are dropped off for school, pupils will undergo an orientation programme, which will include lessons on wearing their face masks, sanitising their hands and maintenance of physical distancing at all times.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi gave the account of readiness of schools during a media briefing on the Covid-19 update by the provincial command council on Friday.
“We really believe that our schools are ready. They are at different levels. There might be schools that are at an advanced stage; there might be schools that are at an average stage; there might be schools that are behind, but on June 1 we will allow all the schools in Gauteng to open,” he said.
Earlier, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said parents were not obliged to send their children to school if they were concerned about their safety.
A Grade 7 Mahube Valley Primary School classroom is ready for pupils. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency (ANA)
However, she said she was confident they had taken the correct decision as the anxieties of affected parents should not determine what happens to those children whose parents want them to go back to school.
Parents who do not want their children to go back once their grades are called can deregister them, and register for home-schooling.
Lesufi said: “Whoever does not want to bring their children would be able to apply through the school and the approval will be done within seven days from head office.”
Lesufi said at least 3000 additional teachers known as “teacher assistants” would be deployed to support pupils with special needs.
The number of general assistants, responsible for cleaning the schools, has been increased by 1200.
At least 413 clinics will be available to provide immediate advice, guidance and support to the nearest schools in the event of a coronavirus emergency.
The Health Department will bring on board environmental health practitioners to assist with the practice of physical distancing, use of masks, identifying school-based isolation rooms.
In addition, the department will deploy 10000 young people, known as Covid-19 brigades, to schools to compile data of every person who enters the school premises.
No parents or visitors will be allowed on site.
Lesufi said: “They will also do daily screening for us, identifying symptoms and also provide relevant information on what will happen. Those who need to go to the isolation will then be directed to the isolation room.”
The department has contracted 88 professional nurses to ensure that every school has up-to-date information about Covid-19. Personal protective gear has already been distributed to nine districts and five remaining districts were due to receive their equipment by on Friday.
Schools will go ahead with the writing of Grade 12 preliminary examinations to be concluded mid-October. The results will help pupils to apply for a space to study at higher institutions of learning in 2021.
Examinations scheduled for pupils in other grades will be extended to mid-December and the results will be released in January.
Pretoria News Weekend
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