Departmental spokesperson, Lehuma Ntuane said the required social distance and additional teaching staff are the main challenges facing the provincial education department.
Only 79 out of the 424 primary schools in the Northern Cape will be able to return to full time and everyday attendance on Monday, August 2, 2021.
The Northern Cape Department said it is hard at work to safeguard the return of all primary school learners however the required protocols are challenging.
Departmental spokesperson, Lehuma Ntuane said the required social distance and additional teaching staff are the main challenges facing the provincial education department.
“The main challenge at this point is the maintaining of the mandatory 1.5 metre social distancing requirement for learners. This will require additional classroom space as well as teaching staff, which the department at this point is unable to budget for. Due to this social distancing indicator, only 79 out of the 424 primary schools in the Province will be able to return to the normal time-tabling attendance,” said Ntuane.
He said the rise in infections and the shortage of furniture at some schools in the Province are also challenges that need to be addressed.
“In addition to this the indication is that Covid-19 infections are on the increase in some districts, hence the department will continue with the differentiated time-tabling model as well as the differentiated risk adjusted strategy, as adopted for by the Education Sector. Key to this decision is the fact that more schools would need additional furniture, additional educators and adequate supply of water in order to ensure full compliance with Covid-19 protocols and guidelines,”he said.
Ntuane said schools who are in full compliance with the Covid-19 protocols and guidelines will be allowed to return to the normal daily timetable.
“Schools have also been issued with personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to ensure adherence to the Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions. We have communicated our provincial situation to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and relevant stakeholders that for now we will continue with the differentiated timetabling model which is in the best interest of both learners and educators. Schools are required to strictly adhere to all the non-pharmaceutical protocols in order to safeguard our learners and educators,” said Ntuane.
