Grey College forced to close after 60 test positive for COVID-19

Staff Reporter

Classes ended abruptly at Grey College this afternoon after 60 new cases of COVID-19 were reported at the upmarket Bloemfontein school.

The principal of the school and his deputy are among those who have tested positive for the acute respiratory disease.

Education MEC Tate Makgoe confirmed the closing of the school on Twitter saying 53 learners and seven teachers had tested positive for COVID-19.

“We have suspended classes at Grey College Secondary after 53 learners and seven teachers including the principal and his deputy tested positive for COVID 19,” said Makgoe in a brief announcement.

A statement issued by the school and signed by principal Deon Scheepers said all extra-curricular activities have been suspended with immediate effect until further notice.

It said planned sport matches for August as well as the open days set for this weekend have been put on hold.

Classes will however resume next week virtually.

“All learners (in Grade 8-12) will have classes from Monday, 16 August 2021 via Microsoft Teams,” said the school in the statement.

It said learners in Grade 10, 11 and 12 will return to school on August 23.

Those in Grade 8 and 9 will return a week later on August 30.

The school said the decision was made in consultation with the provincial departments of health and education.

“The decisions wasn’t taken lightly and we had to make the right decision for the learners and the greater Grey community,” said the school.

Parents have been given until tomorrow to collect their children in boarding school.

Parents have also been advised that upon return, all hostel learners will be subjected to a compulsory stay-in weekend before classes resume due to COVID-19 protocols.

Academic reports will be sent out electronically and the hard copies will be issued when the school opens.

As of Thursday, the Free State had a cumulative total of 134 905 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The province has recorded 116 153 recoveries and there are 12 801 active cases.

A total of 5 951 people have succumbed to the disease.