All provincial schools will remain closed until it is safe to return. This is according to the spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Education (DoE), Jasper Zwane. He said the department will be deploying mobile classes to some schools that have space challenges.
“This is to alleviate overcrowding and to ensure that schools maintain social distancing of learners accordingly. There may be instances where a parent may be told that his/her school of choice is full and that his/her child will be registered at a school that has space. These are areas where the department seeks the understanding and cooperation of parents,” he explained.
The DoE has directed all schools, including independent schools that had been operating before and after the announcement by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) regarding the reopening, to cease operation and align their schedule with the new dates provided. At the moment, public and private schools that follow the same calendar, the changes are as follows: school management teams reported for duty on January 25, educators are to follow on February 1 and learners on February 15.
The Mpumalanga department expected about 7 564 members of school management teams to report for duty and to immediately start preparations for the return of more than 32 000 teachers on Monday.
A distressed parent, who chose to remain anonymous, raised his concern about The King’s School in White River operating after the DBE had announced that all schools should remain closed.
“I feel the school is putting our children at risk by operating when the department said they should not reopen until February. Our concern is that they informed all of us that the kids must go to school,” he explained. The provincial department was also made aware of The King’s school’s activities. Zwane said it had stopped operating last week, in keeping to the new directions given.
“The department appreciates the cooperation of these schools.” On January 15, the DBE made an announcement stating that, given the pressure experienced by the health system over the past few weeks, occasioned by increased Covid-19 infections that had led to the second wave, the council of education ministers, the National Coronavirus Command Council and the cabinet took the decision to delay the reopening of both public and private schools by two weeks.
“This includes private schools that have reopened already. They will need to postpone their reopening to a later date. This is done to provide relief to the health system that is already struggling to cope with the current demands. The new dates for the reopening of private schools will vary depending on the calendar they follow.”
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Independent schools are now allowed to open from February 1, according to the Government Gazette. Zwane said the department had delivered learner/teacher support material to all schools by the end of November, and that they are expected to hand it out to all learners on February 15.
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“Admission of pupils for 2021 was done in 2020. The only areas where there were outstanding placements are eMalahleni, Mbombela and Steve Tshwete. The Departmental Admission Committees were established to fast-track the processes.” Zwane added that the department will distribute the National School Nutrition Programme packs to all deserving learners this week to ensure they have food while at home.
