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More clarity on when schools will reopen, as the country faces the Covid-19 pandemic, may be available in two weeks.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said she can only say with certainty when schools will reopen when the plan has been approved by the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the Cabinet.
She said at a joint meeting of the Basic Education Portfolio Committee and the Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture on Tuesday that her department will present the detailed plan for the reopening of schools on May 18.
Last Wednesday, the department made a presentation to the committees and, according to its presentation, the initial plan was for schools to reopen in phases beginning May 6, with grades 12 and 7 returning to schools.
However, later in the briefing, after parliamentarians questioned the viability of May 6 for schools to reopen, the department’s deputy minister, Reginah Mhaule, said the plan was presented to the social group of ministers on Tuesday, who said that May 6 was not feasible.
“On the 18th, our children go to school,” Mhaule concluded in his meeting speech.
The plan was presented to the NCCC later in the day.
Then last Thursday, Motshekga announced at a press conference that schools could open June 1 for grades 12 and 7.
However, this depends on the department’s plans to ensure that schools are safe and Covid-19 compliant.
It is these plans that will be presented to the NCCC and then to Cabinet for approval.
Motshekga said they had submitted their framework for reopening schools to the NCCC, but it was not approved.
“They said, come back.”
Motshekga said they will only be able to say that the schools will reopen on June 1, or provide a timeline, after their plans were approved by the NCCC and the Cabinet.
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