[MUST READ] When creches will open and all schooling resume
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshega has gazetted regulations for the re-opening of schools that set out when early childhood-education (ECD) services will resume and children will go back to school.
As of Monday, when the country enters level 3 lockdown, grade 7 and 12 pupils will be back at school.
However, to date the timelines for other grades returning have bene unclear.
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The Gazetted regulations set out that ECD services, including creches, can re-open from 6 July with special needs schools Grades R, 1, 2, 3 and 6 opening on the same date.
Grades R, 3 6, 10, and 11 are also set to go back to the classes on 6 July, with grades 4, 5, 8, and 9 returning to school on 3 August.
All schools must comply with the relevant health and safety regulations in order to be allowed to open, and no sport, cultural, or choir practises will be allowed.
The regulations note: “A parent who chooses not to send a learner to school must apply to the head of department, who, in terms of section 4 of the South African Schools Act, may exempt a learner entirely, partially or conditionally from compulsory school attendance, if it is in the best interests of the learner.”
It goes on to say: “A parent who chooses not to send a learner to school is obliged to apply for home education in terms of the relevant section of the South African Schools Act.”
Children have to be screened at school for Covid-19 symptoms, and may be denied entry to the school premises if they have a fever, body aches, loss of smell or loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, weakness or tiredness.
Facilities must operate at 50% or less of their capacity at any given time by either rotating classes or platooning them.
Read the full regulations or the re-opening of schools below: