Parkrand and Comet Primary Grade Seven learners return to school

The school also made available a Covid-19 booklet for each learner, highlighting how the school will change and some of the health guidelines that they needed to follow

June 10, 2020

Ntombikayise Sibeko 2 minutes read

Parkrand Primary School teachers recorded the temperatures of the learners next to their names when they came through in the morning on June 8.

The most anticipated first day of the reopening of the schools on June 8 came as a relief for Grade Seven and 12 learners in Boksburg after two months of no school.

Neatly dressed in their school uniforms, learners from various schools were ready to pick up where they left off last term.

The Advertiser visited Parkrand and Comet Primary Schools and observed that the schools were well prepared with health protocols being followed to keep learners safe.

At Parkrand Primary School, about 160 Grade Seven learners pitched for school while about six comorbidity learners are studying from home. From as early as 7am learners were already queuing outside the school in a neat line while wearing their masks and observing social distancing.

Before they went inside the school premises, they were hand sanitised and screened. Their temperatures were recorded next to their names and were further asked questions on a declaration form pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Learners were again sanitised as the educators walked the learners to their respective classes. The school had eight classes with 20 learners in each class.

According to the principal, Brandon Schunke, there’s a huge responsibility upon them regarding the safety of learners; however, with the dedicated staff that he has they have contributed into ensuring the necessary procedures and protocols were adhered to.

“There was an overwhelming amount of work that had to go into making sure that the school was compliant and that the necessary legislation was followed. Prior to the reopening of the school, we recorded a video which displayed how learners should conduct themselves when lining up and following the social distancing protocols,” Schunke said.

The school also made available a Covid-19 booklet for each learner, highlighting how the school will change and some of the health guidelines that they needed to follow. The principal further highlighted that on June 1, no learners came to school because they communicated with parents on an app called ClassDojo on Sunday evening. They have also utilised the ClassDojo platform to teach learners from Grade R to Seven during the lockdown.

“I would like to encourage parents who are finding it difficult to pay school fees or those who don’t have food to come see us, we are here to help,” Schunke said.

Trusting that their children were in good hands, one of the parents, Zozo Ndabezitha, said she was hopeful that her child will be safe and was pleased that the school’s preventative measures were in order.

Meanwhile, at Comet Primary School, things got off to a good start as the school practised health and safety measures such as sanitising the learners, social distancing and screening before they entered the school’s premises.

Although 98 learners out of 200 learners came to school on the first day of school, the principal, Lawrence Marapjane, is hopeful that throughout the week they will see an increase in the number of learners. The school has 10 classes with 20 learners in each class.

Three young women from Boksburg who were recruited by the Department of Education as part of its youth brigade programme were also seen at the school caring out their duties. The programme is part of the Gauteng Department of Education’s overall plan to involve youth in limiting community transmission and outbreaks of Covid-19 within the Gauteng sector.