[ad_1]
The Department of Basic Education has announced that the government will keep all schools in South Africa closed due to concerns surrounding the country’s second wave of Covid-19.
At a press conference on Friday (January 15), Deputy Minister of Basic Education Reginah Mhaule said that both public and private schools will delay their opening dates by two weeks.
The return date of the independent schools will vary according to their respective calendars. For other schools, the new opening dates are as follows:
- Teachers will introduce themselves to schools on Monday, February 1
- Students will return on Monday, February 15
Mhaule said support staff will use this additional time to prepare for the schools to return students. He added that more meetings will be held next week to determine if the schools are ready to reopen.
A survey released by the University of Johannesburg and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) this week showed that 53% of adults think schools should remain closed until the situation improves.
19% of adults believe schools should reopen only for 7th and 12th grade students.
“The survey findings show that the majority of adults are opposed to reopening schools, while Covid-19 cases continue at their current high levels,” said Professor Carin Runciman, UJ associate professor at the Center for Social Change.
“This opposition is strongest among the most vulnerable and economically disadvantaged sections of society, who are less likely to trust the ability of their schools to provide a safe environment for students.
“These findings illustrate that while parents are deeply concerned about the education of their children, they are equally, if not more, concerned about the safety of their children, their families and communities.”
Read: Here is the full list of services available in Home Affairs under South Africa’s level 3 lockdown
[ad_2]
