Covid-19 won’t stop teaching at private schools

In the event of Covid-19 intensifying in the country, almost all Independent Schools of Southern Africa (Isasa) affiliated schools, would rely on technology to continue teaching pupils at home, Isasa executive director Lebogang Montjane assured today.

Amid mounting public concerns about the daily growing figures in South Africa of people who have tested positive for the virus, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a pandemic, Montjane said he was confident that Isasa-affiliated schools would deal with a challenge of having to invoke home study.

The non-profit organisation has a school membership of over 850 throughout Southern African countries – which include South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, eSwatini, Angola, Namibia and Zambia – with 190,000 learners.

“Isasa has membership from very diverse schools, some of which are no-fee paying and others from rich backgrounds. Making use of iPads, among other technologies, I am confident that almost all of our schools will be well-poised to offer teaching remotely,” said Montjane.

Asked whether Isasa would order its members to shut schools, as recently seen in Cowan Preparatory School in KwaZulu-Natal and Grayston Preparatory School in Sandton, Montjane said: “It is difficult to talk about the future, as we deal with cases as they emerge.

“We are working closely with the department of health, education and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD); and will not be closing schools without an instruction from government. We have a very healthy degree of interaction with the NICD and government and we have been impressed by interventions introduced by the department of health.”

Meanwhile, cabinet has this week reassured the country that every precaution was being taken to safeguard the country against any surge of Covid-19.

The cabinet statement read, “We reiterate the call by the World Health Organisation and Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, for all people in South Africa to continually practice preventative measures to stop the transmission and spread of the virus. The preventative measures include washing your hands often with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

“They also include avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands and covering your mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, following with disposing of the tissue.

Common symptoms of the virus include, fever, coughing and difficulty in breathing. When displaying these symptoms, individuals are advised to stay home and seek medical assistance.

“We appeal to all to respect the privacy of Covid-19 patients and their families. We also strongly caution against the dissemination of any false information related to the virus so as to prevent the spread of fear, stigma and discrimination within our society.”

brians@citizen.co.za

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