67 Gauteng schools not in suitable state to open

A total of 67 schools in Gauteng may not be able to open on Monday due to a range of issues.

These include vandalism, inadequate infrastructure, lack of water supply and sewerage systems.

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, speaking at a briefing held by the provincial command council yesterday, listed the schools district by district.

This list would be available on his department’s website. It included the following:

Twenty-seven schools in the Sedibeng area which have water pressure issues and sewerage issues.

Seven schools in Gauteng west which have insufficient water pressure.

Eight schools in the south of Johannesburg south (water).

One school in Ekhuruleni (water).

One school in Hammanskraal (water).

“In total, we’ve got 53 schools that have problems with water and sanitation.”

Pupils in these schools will be placed at alternative schools.

Additionally, three schools have been damaged beyond repair during the lockdown and would not reopen.

Lesufi added that the schools would not be closed permanently. The closures were just until they were brought up to standard.

However, provided that other schools in the province followed the provincial department of education’s “safety first” approach, they should be able to open as planned on Monday.

As per this “safety first” approach, schools must have been cleaned ahead of time, must have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment for staff and pupils, must have the necessary equipment and protocols for regular screening and must have an uninterrupted water supply, with toilets that are in working order.

Pupils need to be screened three times a day using what has been dubbed the “Gauteng department of education school screening system”.

They would be screened when they arrived, during break and after school.