Cosas calls for another school shutdown
The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has called for another shutdown of schools across the country following the return of grade 12 pupils on Monday.
Grade 12s returned to the classroom on Monday after a week-long break, while grade 7 pupils will return next week.
The other grades will return on August 24.
Tshwane regional secretary Thabiso Mhlangu says pupils want the academic year to be extended.
“It cannot be correct that we must go to school whereas we still find ourselves in the peak.
“The Department (of Basic Education) must do the following like give them an extension of the break and extend the academic year.”
The student organisation says grade 12 learners do not want to attend classes during the Covid-19 peak.
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On Monday, pupils in from Soshanguve and Mamelodi did not attend class.
Mhlangu says they’re waiting for the go-ahead from national structures to draw in other provinces.
“They said to us that they don’t want to go to school today and asked for our support, particularly the grade 12s because they were the ones opening today.
“We are not saying we do not want to go to school, we are not saying that it is wrong for us to go to school, what we are saying is that we are ready to go back to say but the department is not ready to host us.”
He adds: “We are waiting for the PEC and the national office to adopt that as well.”
Mhlangu says the pupils are concerned they will not have enough time to prepare for end of year exams.