Staff Reporter
Lessons failed to resume at about six schools in Mangaung this morning after several learners and teachers tested positive for COVID-19.
Free State education MEC Tate Makgoe said on Twitter that at least seven teachers and three learners had tested positive for the acute respiratory disease in the last few days.
“Schooling at the following schools in Motheo (district) have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 cases,” Makgoe said before listing the schools and the numbers of those affected.
Katiso Primary School reported four teachers tested positive for the disease while Bloemfontein South School had a case of one teacher.
Rutanang Intermediate School reported a case of one teacher and at Eunice Primary School a Grade 7 learner was affected.
Two Grade 12 learners tested positive at Tsoseletso Secondary School and a teacher at Kamohelo Primary School was also found to have the disease.
The school disruptions came as the province was preparing to receive 58 653 Grade 6 learners and 43 120 Grade 11 learners today as part of the phased reopening of schools.
Grades 7 and 12 have been going to school since the beginning of June.
Grade R learners were also expected to resume lessons today but it was later decided that their return be delayed until later this month to limit congestion in schools.
In line with the COVID-19 health protocols, schools are expected to operate at 50 percent occupancy or less using either a weekly rotational timetable or daily platooning where some learners come in the morning and others in the afternoon.
Classes have been suspended on several occasions over the past month at some schools across the province to allow for decontamination after cases of COVID-19 were reported.
There have however been no complications in most of the reported cases as some of the learners and staff have fully recovered.