Like 25 January was not distant enough, parents are now dealing with a 2-week extension on the reopening of schools, and not everyone is happy…
Parents have been on different pages when it comes to the reopening of schools. While others think it is a good idea for children to head back to school for a better learning and social environment, many parents disagree. Some parents believe that the country needs to be “out of the woods” regarding the pandemic before they send their children back-to-school.
The online reactions are also rather mixed, with primary school dad Thapelo Nhlapho arguing that “we are really wasting another academic year.” He believes that the government should rather find other creative means to keep the learners and teachers safe.
M-Kay said on Twitter “guys, you need to think out of the box.”
Parents believe that the government had adequate time to plan, considering that the government knew we might hit a second wave
Dineo Modieginyana has a daughter in Grade 6 and believes that this delay is a sensible thing to do to save all the lives at stake.
The delay is meant to give schools and management teams time to plan accordingly. It will be looking at school staffing logistics, compiling which of the teachers are able to come back, their COVID-19 status, and those with co-morbidities.
Frustrated parents face chaotic month ahead: Schools reopening delayed
Samantha Mashego’s mother is a teacher in Diepsloot, where social distancing and hand sanitising are not religiously practised. She is worried about her mother and her health. “Especially,” she says, “seeing how people have lost their parents. It is so unsettling but the show must go on.”
Full-time working parents who need school are now caught between a rock and a hard place. They cannot afford to stay at home with the kids because they will lose their jobs. This means that homeschooling is not an option. They also struggle to afford to pay nannies.
This is what Twitter had to say about this:
Can the department please clarify the school fees issue, we have parents who lost their jobs and also parents with salary cuts, is it fair that teachers stay at home with a full salary while these parents have to pay full school fees, while they still have to be with these kids
— Busisiwe Pitsi (@BusisiwePitsi) January 15, 2021
@Lesufi @DBE_SA parents should sue you! This is going against the Children’s Act of access to a free and fair education! Kids are safer at school where proper sanising protocols are followed!
— Karina Nozic (@Kenozic) January 15, 2021
I find the 15 February unnecessary. The infrastructure to maintain covid protocols were put in place by schools last year. I would understand if SMT and educators use the week 25 to 29 January for preparations and learners commencing schooling on the 1st February.
— Lesiba Thabetha (@lesiba_thabetha) January 15, 2021
Why oh why. All the schools were already properly equipped & trained last year on how to clean & sanitize. They taught with social distancing. Children were checked & sanitized on arrival. All these procedures are still in place so why delay opening. It just doesn’t make sense.
— Tracy Lee (@TracyLeeDbn) January 15, 2021
Two weeks delay now yet from the end of Nov 2020 teachers at public school were encouraging kids to stay home already and not come to school for Dec 2020. 2 weeks of Dec 2020 teaching wasted. Teachers do this every December encouring & throwing hints to the kids not to attend.
— Sdu (@miss_sdu_sdu) January 15, 2021
I thought this should have been done the other way round: open schools on the 27th and take two weeks to assess the situation per school before taking a final decision. Until December all learners received two days’ teaching per week. Postponing unnecessarily could prove costly.
— Makhosandile Ndzuzo (@MakhosandileNd3) January 16, 2021
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