THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Education has spent a staggering R30 million to date on sanitising schools in the Province.
This was confirmed on Tuesday by spokesperson for the department, Geoffrey van der Merwe, who stated that all schools were disinfected prior to the reopening of schools for grades 12 and 7 on June 8.
“To date, 84 schools have been closed due to Covid-19 cases reported. Of these 84 schools, 46 schools have already been disinfected,” Van der Merwe added.
He stated further that the Northern Cape Department of Education was making use of the Department of Roads and Public Works for the disinfection of schools.
The DA has meanwhile called on Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and her department to show decisive leadership on the phased reopening of schools and the phasing in of additional grades.
“On July 2, 2020, the minister announced changes to the phased reopening of schools. Due to the spike in Covid-19 infections across communities it was decided to allow fewer grades back to school. This meant only Grade 6, Grade 11 and Grade R returned to school on July 6,” Nomsa Marchesi, DA spokesperson on basic education, said.
“The minister then mentioned that the remaining grades that were meant to return will be phased in in July. No specific directions have been gazetted to this effect because the regulations did not specify when in July, the next official phasing in is expected to be on August 3, 2020.”
Marchesi pointed out that the public needed urgent answers from the minister on when additional grades would return. “With the growing calls from teacher unions for all schools to close, the minister’s silence is only causing further panic, anxiety and confusion.”
