Schools reopen amid pandemic for grade 7 and 12

By:Anelisa Sibanda
Anelisag98@gmail.com
Anelisa_Sibanda

Thousands of learners in grade 7 and 12 returned to school today for the first time since March after a national lockdown was introduced to help curb the virus. The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga urged that the academic year has to be saved. She ensured the parents that the majority of schools are ready to reopen and precautionary measures will be taken to make sure that learners are safe as they return to school. Motshekga also said parents who do not feel safe with sending their children to school must register them for home-schooling so that they are not left behind.

However, not all parents were happy to send their children back to school saying that the cases of corona are rapidly increasing in the country.







Grade7 learner, Mbalenhle Nkala

Mbalenhle Nkala(12) a grade 7 learner at Learnmore Institute said that she was happy about going back to school today after staying home for 2 months. "Before we got into the school transport in the morning we were sanitized, and we sat far away from each other", said Mbalenhle.
Nkala also added that their temperatures were checked prior to entering the school premises and that they sat a meter part from each other in class.

 

Thandeka Msiza(20), grade 12 at Athlone Girls High School says that for her being sent back to school is like being thrown in a cell with corona as a cellmate and that had she had a choice she was not going to go back to school but because she is a matriculant. "I use public transport to get to school and I do not know whether it has been disinfected or not, the school only asks us if we have been in contact with someone who is infected? and how are we to know that?, said Msiza.
Msiza said that teachers look prepared but there is no testing or whatsoever which is done it's just mere temperature check.






Grade 12 teacher at Siyabonga High School

Lucia Dube(40) a mother of a child in the 6th grade said she doesn't feel safe with sending kids back to school, "schools are too crowded and teachers might not be able to control them especially the ones in grade7". Dube also added that they can not expect us to send our children to school when the parliament is closed because of the virus.



Gcina Zondo(26) a teacher at Siyabonga High School said that their school has taken precautionary measure to ensure the safety of learners and staff members. "We have sanitizing stations for our learners outside the classroom to protect the learners, learners were also given masks, 2 per learner as well as teachers", said Zondo.
Zondo also added that the number of learners in each classroom has been reduced to a minimum of 20 and 25 maximum learners in the classroom. "Learners also get to fill in screening forms to make sure that they do not have COVID-19 symptoms and all classrooms have masks", added Zondo.


Bonga Magagula(24) a teacher said that will learners be sanitized daily prior to entering the school? who will monitor them to make sure that they practice social distancing?
Magagula also added that reopening of schools is both a good and bad thing, the good being that children are always in the street and sending them to school will help them keep busy and the bad being that some teachers and students use public transport and chances of contracting the virus is very high.