Schools in Mangaung and other COVID-19 hot spots might remain shut when the rest of the schools around South Africa begin reopening on June 1.
This is reportedly part of the proposal tabled by the Department of Basic Education, according to the latest edition of the Sunday Times.
If approved by the cabinet, more than 5 000 schools, including 929 private ones, in Mangaung, Buffalo City, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay will remain closed as they will be regarded as being on lockdown Level 5.
Keeping these schools shut would affect 3.7-million pupils and 134 779 teachers.
The proposal – discussed on Wednesday with the National Alliance of Independent Schools Associations (NAISA), which represents nine private schools associations – is expected to be unveiled when Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga briefs the media this Monday about how ready the provinces are to reopen schools.
The Sunday Times says it has seen circulars showing that in some provinces schools have been instructed to buy personal protection equipment with funds originally meant for learning materials, while parents have been roped in to help with cleaning.
The document outlining the department’s proposals, the publication claims, suggests that all 157 123 matric pupils in hot-spot areas “be accommodated in Grade 12 special camps”.
Schools in areas where COVID-19 infections are lower will reportedly be listed under lockdown Level 3, and Grades 7 and 12 will resume on June 1, with Grades R to 7 and Grade 11 expected to return on a staggered basis.
Pupils in the remaining grades will return once lockdown Level 2 begins.
The proposal, according to the Sunday Times, says that under Level 3, the school timetable could be rearranged to “accommodate different grades attending school on alternate days as well as platooning/shift arrangements to comply with social distancing”.
Unions representing teachers, including the South African Democratic Teachers Union, do not want their members to return to work unless schools are disinfected and teachers are provided with soap, sanitisers and masks.
They also want social distancing to be observed.
The unions will meet Motshekga on Monday for a progress report on the readiness of the provinces.
NAISA chair Mandla Mthembu confirmed that the alliance met on Wednesday with education director-general, Mathanzima Mweli, but expressed surprise that the department’s proposal had been leaked.
Mthembu said when NAISA’s nine member organisations met on Friday, concern was expressed about the 929 schools that may not reopen on June 1.
“Our concern is that there’s a blanket approach to say all schools in those municipalities must not open. If schools are located in the red zone but in wards that may be viewed as Level 4 or Level 3, they should be allowed to open,” he was quoted as saying by the Sunday Times.
He reportedly said that during the meeting with Mweli, they were told no private school should open before June 1.
The department’s proposal must be approved by the National Coronavirus Command Council before going to the cabinet for final approval.
Elijah Mhlanga, spokesperson for the Department of Basic Education, said the leaked document was being used for “discussion purposes”.
“I know for a fact [it] has since been overtaken by events,” he told the Sunday Times.
Basil Manuel, the executive director of the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa, was quoted by the paper as saying: “We accept that this may be a reality that more than 5 000 schools may remain closed because opening them would simply just not make sense. However, I would seriously caution against holding matric camps. Where would you put the children?” – Sunday Times/Staff Reporter