SECTION27, the Equal Education Law Centre and Equal Education have jointly said they are concerned that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has failed to carry out the planned preparation for the safe reopening of schools
In a joint statement released on Monday, June 1 the organisations also raised concerns over effective leadership and communication sent to the learners, school staff and caregivers in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis.
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“There is renewed uncertainty about the way forward for schooling with the last minute announcements about schools reopening on June 8 instead of June 1,” the organisations said.
“What’s more, some provinces, notably the Western Cape, seemed to be giving directives that contradicted this announcement, and maintained that schools would open today, June 1.”
According to a statement issued by the DBE, the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) is concerned about the state of readiness of schools in some provinces to reopen because of issues such as the non-delivery of water and personal protective equipment (PPE).
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In a media briefing on April 30, the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, announced that Grade Seven and Grade 12 learners would return to school on June 1.
This was subsequently published in the Government Gazette on Friday, May 29.
The briefing provided a broad outline of the measures that would be necessary for each school to reopen to ensure health and safety and social distancing at schools.
The DBE undertook to provide PPE to schools, as well as water tanks where needed, mobile classrooms to schools facing overcrowding and to deliver mobile toilets to schools reliant on pit latrines.
“A month has passed since this announcement.
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“If plans were implemented as they were intended to be, all schools should have been properly sanitised, and PPE and the promised infrastructure ought to have been delivered in time for the reopening date determined by Motshekga.
“During the time since the April announcement, the DBE and provincial education departments have failed to provide clear and sufficient details on the progress of the procurement and delivery of necessary sanitising materials, PPE and infrastructure.
“The failure of the DBE and most provincial education departments to comply with their undertakings and meet their own deadlines in terms of preparing schools for reopening, unfortunately, mirrors their ongoing failures to provide textbooks, essential school infrastructure like toilets and scholar transport,” the organisations said.
“We urge the DBE to engage in meaningful consultation with learners, school staff and caregivers, and to move expeditiously in ensuring that all deliveries occur at all schools.
“It is critical that the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of schools is resolved in the interest of the right to basic education for all learners in South Africa.”
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