The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) claims that there’s consensus among basic education stakeholders that public schools should only re-open next month because of the rapid rise in coronavirus infections, especially among young people.
Teachers’ unions have also expressed reservations about opening schools on January 27.
Cosas spokesperson, Douglas Ngobeni, says they’ve reached an agreement with the Basic Education Department to delay the start of classes by two weeks.
“We have agreed with the Department of Basic Education that there would be a two week delay of the reopening of schools necessary with the provisions of the second wave of COVID-19. Our teachers are dying because of this virus. We don’t [want to] find ourselves in a situation where our learners follow suit,” explains Ngobeni.
The video below is on a muted the opening for some independent schools amid COVID-19:
Meanwhile, the Western Cape government says the province is ready for the re-opening of schools.
This after various stakeholders raised concerns over a wide range of challenges that learners will face in the midst of a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Schools across the country are expected to open for the first term on January 27.
Premier Alan Winde says they will make input in a national meeting this week regarding the re-opening of schools.
