TimesLIVE reports that the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) has recommended that the reopening of schools be postponed from 27 January until 15 February because of the spike in Covid-19 infections.  

Education stakeholders including school governing body associations, teacher unions and the National Alliance of Independent Schools Associations (Naisa) met with senior officials from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Wednesday night.  Ebrahim Ansur of Naisa said one of the four main issues they identified was the link between closure of schools and the reduction of the surge, as had been shown in other countries such as the UK.  He reported that DBE director-general Mathanzima Mweli clarified that the recommendation must still be ratified by cabinet and signed off by DBE Minister Angie Motshekga.  The DBE will meet the NCCC on Thursday and will then report to cabinet where a final decision would be taken.  The official communication from cabinet on the opening of all schools is expected to be released after 15 January.  Ben Machipi of the Professional Educators' Union (PEU) said there was unanimity from the unions that “we should postpone the reopening of schools by two weeks”.  He added, however, that they had disagreed with a proposal that the delay in reopening should be confined to pupils only and not teachers.  “As PEU, we say if the postponement of reopening is informed by the high rate of infections, it’s disingenuous to say teachers should continue going to school as planned as if teachers are immune to infections.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at TimesLIVE

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