The phasing in of more grades will continue, says department of education

According to a media statement released by the department of basic education, the phasing in of more grades will continue.

This decision was reached after a virtual meeting held by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) yesterday. They concluded that schools that can meet the safety requirements should continue phasing in more grades.

“The country is entering the peak of the infections of the virus,” the department says. However, education forms part of the country’s livelihood, and the strategies put in place are meant to protect those livelihoods.

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According to the department, home education remains an option for parents that opt to not return their children to school. However, home education is not an option for kids in rural and remote areas of the country. These children are unable to access online learning material, TV, or radio lessons.

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For this reason, the department needs to maintain the reopening of schools to ensure that the children’s basic right to education is met.

Statement by the Council of Education Ministers following a virtual meeting held today, 14 July 2020.#BasicEducation #BackToSchoolSA pic.twitter.com/9LeTUakMRO

— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) July 14, 2020

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