Delay will put schools, pupils under more pressure

The new school uniform and polished school shoes will have stay in the closet for a bit longer after Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule on Friday announced the postponement of schools reopening until 15 February.

“I’m glad the date has been moved,” a Johannesburg-based teacher said on condition of anonymity for fear of losing her job.

“Many teachers have died, schools have to advertise the vacancies to replace them.”

The teacher said it was hard for the teachers to return to school after one of their own had succumbed to the virus.

“It is also difficult for children who have bonded with those teachers to deal with their death.”

The teacher said she was comfortable with the safety measures and Covid-19 protocols at school.

“But there are many irresponsible parents who send sick children to school, or parents who have Covid-19, but the child is fine, then the child comes to school. Or children who were in contact with Covid-19 and return to school before getting the test results.”

The teacher said she feared contracting the virus and infecting her parents or anyone else.

“Teachers are already stressed and overloaded with so much paperwork and the fear of getting sick.

“The department of education does not make our jobs easy and puts a lot of pressure on teachers. It’s not a seven to two job.”

She said the postponement had upset curriculum plans and shortened the quarters and school holidays, “which are much needed”.

Teachers were going to burn out and children got tired quickly with long quarters and short holidays.

There was a lot of pressure on children to perform and schools to push for pass rates.

She said certain classes would need to catch up on grades, having missed portions of the previous curriculum, and still complete their current curriculum.

West Rand mother of a Grade 1 boy, Antwanette Marais, said she felt the children had been disadvantaged from the start of the pandemic.

“However, maybe it’s better that the schools open later, rather than not at all. We cannot afford our kids to miss out on the majority of the school year again.”

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