Way forward for 2021 academic year in flux

There is still no certainty as to whether the basic education’s academic year for 2021 will go ahead as planned or not.

On Monday President Cyril Ramaphosa’s national address on the progress in efforts to contain Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic said the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) was yet to give guidance on the matter.

“As schools and other educational institutions prepare to begin the new academic year, there is understandable concern about whether this is advisable in the midst of the second wave of infections,” said Ramaphosa.

“The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is dealing with this issue, and we will provide guidance on this matter in the coming days.”

On Monday, the Department of Basic Education (DBE)’s Director-Genera,l Mathanzima Mweli still said the academic year would proceed as planned.

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Mweli said the Department was proceeding with its plans for the year despite the surge in numbers of coronavirus cases.

“Schools are scheduled to reopen on the 25^th of January, for the teachers and the school management teams and for learners on the 27^th,” Mweli said.

“Our risk-adjusted differentiated strategy indicated that schools wouldn’t be allowed to operate at alert level 5. At alert level 4 you allow for exit grades and at alert level 3 you allow for most of the grades.”

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