KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC, Kwazi Mshengu, has expressed concern about the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases at schools in the province since the start of the new term.
The second school term was cut short when the country moved to Alert Level 4 of the lockdown after a third wave of the pandemic in parts of the country at the beginning of July.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga gives details on the reopening of schools:
In and around Durban, a number of schools have been closed for decontamination due to COVID cases since the beginning of the month. In Ladysmith, a nine-year-old pupil died from COVID-19 on 1 August.
Mshengu says in the last 24-hour reporting period, 285 new COVID-19 cases were recorded among pupils and teachers at schools in the province. Nine schools were closed for decontamination.
COVID fatigue
The trend of new COVID-19 cases in schools seems to be in keeping with the trends in the general population. Mshengu is, however, worried about signs of COVID fatigue.
“We have had instances where some parents did not disclose that their children tested positive but they allow them to go to school. Some even when they see there are probably flu signs, they continue to send kids to schools. And we want to plead with the parents that we join hands so that we curb this thing.”
COVID-19 stats in schools
Meanwhile, Doctor Ameena Goga from the Medical Research Council says they have been studying COVID-19 statistics from schools since the start of the third term. Goga says at the moment the percentage of pediatric cases seems to be the same as with previous variants.
“I think there’s been an increase in cases in older children with the Delta variant and the Beta variant versus children less than a year. But so far we are still trying to analyse data to understand the association of new cases with the opening or the reopening of schools. I think the good news is that, just on looking at some of the data, it doesn’t seem that there’s an increase in severity of infections.”
COVID-19 protocols
The provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), Nomarashiya Caluza, has called on the department to make sure that schools have the Personal Protective Equipment they need and that there are enough people to do COVID-19 screening.
“But not all schools have received their PPE’s, not all schools have enough screeners who must assist in taking temperatures. Those things, if they are not happening, there’s a high possibility of allowing people to get in even when they are already showing signs of the virus. Like the issue of the screening; if they are not screened it is difficult to see if their temperatures are high.”
Capacity issues
In the meantime, the provincial government has been given permission by the Department of Basic Education to re-introduce the rotational school roster in overcrowded schools.
National Teachers’ Union’s General Secretary, Cynthia Barnes, has asked that the provincial department provide more mobile classrooms.
“There are so many schools that have closed due to the high rate of coronavirus infections. The National Teachers’ Union urges the Department of Education to provide mobile classes so that learners are able to adhere to COVID-19 regulations, which is 1 metre social distancing. We also urge the teachers as well as the learners to carry on wearing masks and sanitizing to keep themselves safe.”
While KwaZulu-Natal has not entered a third wave of the pandemic yet, Mshengu is still worried about the impact of the pandemic on schooling.
He says the more disruptions there are in schooling, the more children drop out of school. About half a million children have reportedly already dropped out of school countrywide since the start of the pandemic.
