Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga.
Photo: Supplied
Angie Motshekga: ‘As a sector we are ready’ for schools to reopen
Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the department is ready for all schools to open on Monday, 26 July but President Ramaphosa will have the final say.
Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga.
Photo: Supplied
The Minister of Basic Education provided an update on the state of readiness of South African schools on Saturday, 24 July. Primary and secondary schools across the country are expected to resume lessons on Monday, 26 July and the Minister said the education sector is ready to welcome learners.
Motshekga said 180 schools were damaged during the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and other buildings associated with the education department were also damaged.
SCHOOLS READY TO REOPEN ON 26 JULY
Motshekga said that the education sector is ready to reopen schools on Monday after countless consultation sessions but the final decision still rests on the shoulders of President Cyril Ramaphosa who is expected to address South Africa on Sunday.
“Depending on confirmation by the President tomorrow after Cabinet, as a sector there is agreement across the board, that we are ready for the reopening of schools on Monday, 26 July 2021,” said Motshekga.
The minister said school management and support staff began returning to schools on Thursday in order to prepare for the return of learners and teachers on Monday.
The Deputy Director-General of the DBE, Simone Geyer, gave journalists a comprehensive presentation that illustrated how the department will make sure schools are safe via a number of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions such as mask wearing, screening and social distancing.
Geyer also listed various ways in which the department will support that suffered vandalism during the unrest. According to the presentation, classrooms were burnt, windows and doors broken, electrical cables stolen and valuable computer and kitchen equipment was looted.
VANDALISM: KZN
Schools and education centres were damaged, vandalised and looted during the unrest in KZN and Gauteng.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial education department said 137 schools were vandalised while three education centres and eight circuit offices were also damaged.
“This is unprecedented and we are concerned as a Sector, that much needed school infrastructure was damaged,” said Motshekga.
The minister said the setback heaps even more pressure on the education sector to provide appropriate facilities for the schooling system.
Geyer’s presentation indicated that 18 mobile classrooms have been distributed to three schools to deal with burnt classrooms and 20 stoves have been procured to ensure the feeding schemes at affected schools can continue.
“The province has made arrangements to ensure that all these schools do open on Monday, 26 July 2021, and that teaching and learning continues,” said Motshekga.
The preliminary estimate from the national department and KZN DBE indicate that damage caused will cost an estimated R300 milllion to repair.
VANDALISM: GAUTENG
In Gauteng, more than 43 schools have been vandalised since the start of 2021, with 11 cases being reported after schools closed on 2 July. According to the department 29 of 43 schools have already been repaired and work is underway to finish as soon as possible.
“Saddening is that most schools were left with serious structural damages, which would place the safety of learners and teachers at risk,” said Motshekga.
‘CATASTROPHIC FUTURE’ – MOTSHEKGA
Most primary schools are expected to have full classrooms by 2 August. There are concerns that some schools will not be able to cater for all its learners safety. Motshekga said the DBE is aware of this and every school will adjust as the safety of learners is paramount.
She was also questioned about the impact that the rotational timetable – implemented because of COVID-19 – has had on the education sector.
“We have assessed the impact of COVID-19 on our learning and it is extremely devastating,” said Motshekga. “We lost almost 75% of teaching time but the impact on learning is even worse.”
The Minister said the rotational timetable is extremely disruptive for learners but they have no choice given the limitations imposed by health and safety regulations.
“We will face a very catastrophic future with a generation that has missed two years of school,” said Motshekga.
“Our biggest prize is getting primary schools back to daily rotation,” added the minister, explaining that it is important to lay a foundation because the damage [from lost learning time] will be hard to undo later on.
