Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has criticised independent schools that have decided to reopen on Monday morning in defiance of the Basic Education Department directive that schools will only reopen on February 15.
The start of the academic year has been delayed by two weeks due to the high infection rate of the coronavirus in the country.
Provincial education officials including the MEC will be visiting some of those schools today.
Lesufi says this is reckless behaviour by the schools and action will be taken.
“I have been inundated personally by parents who are receiving emails from their schools indicating that children must come to school for face-to-face learning. We really believe its reckless and irresponsible. Our province is recording an unprecedented number of infections and we can’t contribute to those numbers. We’re also monitoring those institutions that we believe are behaving recklessly and we’re working with law enforcement agencies to ensure that they get the necessary charges if we have to lay charges with law enforcement agencies.”
In the video below, Lesufi talks about defiant schools reopening:
A Curro independent school in Randburg reopened today and parents were seen dropping their children at the school premises.
In the video below, SABC News Reporter Nospiho Mncube reports on activity at the school:
