Seven schools in Mpumalanga province have closed down due to a sudden surge in Covid-19 infections amongst pupils and teachers. There have now been calls to close down schools due to the third wave.
More and more schools are said to shutting down due to rising Covid-19 cases as South Africa experiences a third wave of infections.
As a result least seven schools have closed down in Mpumalanga. This comes after eighteen positive cases have detected and confirmed in the schools within the province.
Parents have since raised concerns about their children missing more of the school year as well as their health and safety.
We know that they are getting it and for us, it's really difficult, it like you're between a rock and a hard place. Are you keeping your child at home or are send him to school? It's a very difficult decision to make” says one of the parent
Hostels in some of the schools have not been and thus one also had to be closed as one positive case had been confirmed
“A boys hostel has been closed because of a case. They didn't even close it last week but only sent us text messages yesterday. So I'm very scared because I transport kids around Whiteriver,” says another parent.
The Spokesperson of Mpumalanga's Department of Education, Gerald Sambo, confirmed that the department did receive reports of new infections for seven schools and asked that educators to remain alert going further.
What can confirm as the department is that out of the 1700 schools, we've got 7 schools that reported 18 new positive cases in the province. We urge all the schools to let their guard down be to remain vigilant all the time.
Furthermore, opinions continue to be divided among teachers as calls are mounting for school not to open at full capacity on the 26 of July as a gazetted by the Department of Basic Education in early June due to fears of the progressing surge in infections.
“We want to call upon all parents in the country to support the move grade R to 7 by the 26th they go back to school and see then children being safe in schools, not only safe but also fed in school. So we feel that shall have contributed if these children go back to school,” says National Association of School Governing Bodies, Matakanye Matakanye
They have also called on the Department of Basic Education to fasten the vaccination of teachers so that when these children come back to school we know that teachers are protected.
The Department of Basic Education has not indicated any changes in its plans to reopen primary schools on July 26th.
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