Higher education institutions to shut down

Nzimande met with the Universities South Africa (USAF), the South African College Principals Organisation (SACPO), the South African Students Union (SAUS) and labour unions as part of consultations on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on measures to combat the COVID -19 pandemic.

Nzimande briefed the media on the decisions taken by all stakeholders during their Tuesday meeting.

"In today's meeting, we agreed on the following immediate measures: that all post-school education and training institutions will be closed for early recess with effect from tomorrow.

"And this includes the normal, planned institutional breaks that we were going to be having.”

Nzimande said the reopening of the institutions will depend on how the coronavirus outbreak unfolds.

"Our plan - as things stand now - is that these institutions are planning to return form this break on the 15th of April. Of course the exact modality and even the dates of reopening will be based on the assessment on the course of the virus."

The extended break will also allow institutions to explore online teaching that will be put in place at a later stage.

"Of course some of the institutional activities will continue - such postgraduates and research work. In other words, it's not a shut down its an extended break,” Nzimande added.

"However, we have agreed to use this extended break to identify and explore - among other things - digital and online methodologies for teaching and learning that may be out in place to support academic learning at a later stage.”

Nzimande said a decision on the housing of students will be down to each individual institution.  

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