Motshekga: Grade R plans must be in place by end of July
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says provinces which are not ready to receive grade Rs on Monday need to provide their reincorporation plans by the end of July.
Motshekga updated parents on Sunday ahead of the return of more pupils to school.
Only pupils in grades R, 6 and 11 will return to school on Monday due to concerns over the surge in Covid-19 infections.
But several provinces, including Limpopo and North West, have indicated that grade R pupils will have to stay at home for now.
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"CEM (the Council of Education Ministers) also noted that provinces may be at different levels of readiness for return of Grade R learners,” Motshekga said.
"Therefore, CEM agreed that those provinces that are not ready to receive Grade R on 6 July must provide strategic and realisable plans for ensuring the reincorporation of Grade R learners to schools within, but not later than the end of July.
"However, the provinces that are ready to receive Grade R learners on Monday, can proceed to receive those learners.”
Grade R pupils who have already returned to class should remain where they are, the minister said.
"And those schools that meet the health, safety and social distancing protocols, can reopen for their Grade R and pre-Grade R learners."