After President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday, June 27 that South African schools will close between Wednesday, June 30 and Friday, July 2, the specifics of the decision fell on Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga’s shoulders.
Motshekga set out the following guidelines and regulations for schools:
“Learners in public and independent/ private schools should be released for winter vacation on Wednesday, June 30 2021. School management teams, teachers, learners in hostel facilities and learners with special education needs waiting for parents to pick them up should report at school until Friday, July 2.
Public schools will come back from the winter vacation early, on Monday, July 19 instead of Monday, July 26 as it was originally scheduled in the 2021 School Calendar.
“Schools will make the necessary arrangements to continue to provide feeding to those learners who are beneficiaries of the National School Nutrition Programme.
“The usual Winter Vacation Learner Support Programme for Grades 11 and 12, organised by provinces, districts and schools, should continue under very strict conditions in compliance with the Covid-19 health and safety protocols.
“Given the fact that learners writing the May/ June 2021 examinations are very few, these examinations and marking thereof should also continue under strict adherence of Covid-19 health and safety protocols.
The vaccination programme for the Basic Education sector personnel will proceed as planned. The workers are advised to adhere to their schedules and strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocols as stipulated in the regulations. Schools designated as vaccination sites must remain open to continue with the vaccination programme. It is important that we all work together to complete the vaccination as soon as possible.”
Motshekga said further discussions with various stakeholders would continue on Monday, June 28 after the above information was made public.
“We implore parents, guardians and caregivers to ensure that during the recess, children continue to learn, using the available resources. Doing so will protect the gains that have already been achieved. We also encourage our learners to remain safe. Do not gather in crowds, apply hygiene practices at all times, and avoid activities that may expose learners to infections.”
Motshekga lastly said as at the press briefing on Monday, June 28 more than 200 000 teachers and other school personnel have been vaccinated.
