With a return to school for Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners now set for 8 June, parents may have concerns about the safety of their children, especially if they have underlying health conditions.
A worried parent has contacted the Randburg Sun over concerns about sending their children back to school when the threat of Covid-19 is still an active one.
Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga announced on 19 May that the reopening of schools will go ahead as planned in a phased approach. Independent and public schools will open thought the Joburg area, and every school must adhere to and observe the health and safety protocols that will be put in place.
Addressing the media on 19 May, Motshekga said that the basic education system would be re-engineered to minimise the impact of Covid-19 in the long term and the first group of learners who will return will be grades 12 and 7.
She also made it clear to anxious parents that they would not be forced to send their children back to school, but the department requires all Grade 7 and 12 learners to return to the school they are registered at, or commence home-schooling.
All schools are now ensuring that they are compliant with these requirements. Motshekga urged parents to work closely with schools to ensure learners with pre-existing illnesses are assisted.
If parents choose to discontinue schooling for a specific period, they will need to de-register their child and then re-apply to return to the school at a later stage, provided an alternative school programme is in place. The risk, however, is that re-placement at that school cannot be guaranteed.
Parents who are not comfortable sending their children back to the school they are registered at can choose to home-school them.
“If you decide not to send your child back to school, the South African Schools Act allows you to home-school but you have to register your child as home-schooling, you have to give your province your plan for your child so they can supply you with the curriculum and exam plans,” said Motshekga.
If parents want their child to repeat the grade next year, they will need to apply for it.
It would be compulsory for all pupils to wear masks throughout the school day, starting before they board transport such as buses or taxis on the way to school.
“We are working with health professionals and the Department of Public Service and Administration to issue guidelines for staff and teachers who have comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease among others, that may worsen an individual’s coronavirus infection,” said Motshekga.
