Photo: GCIS
Back to school: Here’s what you need to know about the new rules, dates
The Department of Basic Education has officially gazetted the latest 2020 school calendar.
Photo: GCIS
The Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has gazetted the amended rules for schools, after academic activity was placed on hold for weeks pending caseload fluctuations associated with COVID-19 pandemic.
It comes as the Department of Basic Education has released the revised calendar for the 2020 school year. This will see schools closing on 15 December 2020, for Grades R to11 while matriculants are set to wrap up their final examinations on the same day.
Between the third (24 August – 23 October) and fourth term (2 November-15 December), the department said there would be a one week break from 26 – 30 October, to separate the terms.
The department said it considered the impact of the decision on the current calendar.
“The policy process to amend the school calendar commenced taking into account the urgency of the matter as necessitated by the prevalent COVID-19 environment”, said department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.
For matric pupils, marking on the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams will be completed by 22 January, while the results will be released on 23 February 2020.
Back to school: The new calendar
Between 27 July and 31 July 2020, the principal and the school management team would have worked to determine the staffing requirements so as to ensure compliance with social distancing requirements- ahead of pupils returning to school. They would also have continued with the daily school feeding programme, which was rolled out after the department was taken to court.
“The principal and the school management team must be on duty to make arrangements for the receipt of the learners anticipated in the weeks ahead”, the directive read.
Matrics back in class on Monday 3 August
In week 2, which is between 3 – 7 August 2020, the school management and principal return to the classroom to help in ensuring compliance with the health, safety and social distancing requirements and to assist in the distribution of learning material and the roll-out of the daily school feeding programme for all qualifying learners.
On 11 August 2020, Grade 7 learners return to the classroom, during which teachers and school management will be in attendance to help welcome them.
All grades back in school by 31 August 2020
On 24 August 2020, Grades R, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 go back to school. While in high school, Grades 9, 10 and 11 are also resuming academic activity.
In special schools, year 1, 2 and 3 learners at schools of skill will go back to school as well as Grades R, 1, 2, 3 and final year in schools for learners with disabilities.
On 31 August 2020, Grades 5 and 8 pupils return to the classroom.
Students not returning to school
Under the directive, parents could choose not to send their children to school for a number of reasons including:
- Anxiety and fear related to COVID-19, concern for family members that are over the age of 60 or concern for family members with comorbidities
- Preference for the learner receiving learning and teaching instruction through the online or virtual platforms
- An application for home education and deregistration of a learner from the school
COVID-19 in the classroom
As per the regulations, all schools need to adhere to the necessary health preventative measures, including practicing social distancing and the use of sanitisers and other essential gear.
Under the new rules, in the event that a learner is either self-isolated or under quarantine after coming into contact with an infected person or is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 – parents are supposed to inform the school as soon as possible. The school would also need to inform the head of department about the incident.
When a learner has contracted the coronavirus, through testing facilitated by the said school, they would have to contact the pupil’s parents and ask them to fetch the child from school. They would also have to advise the parents to seek medical care for the child.
