With the number of Covid-19 cases on the rise, social media users debated the merits of closing schools until the rate of infection has reached its peak

@ilbelgicain

Schools that can accommodate kids while adhering to health protocols must continue… those that can’t should rather use alternative ways of teaching. Education is a right – so is life…

@KeyaLeka

Pure logic says close schools save lives, the government is ignorant and is playing with lives of our children. This is not a political game

@everything_nono

As a matriculant myself, it is not fair for us to write final exams this year as if we’ve been taught the same as the previous Grade 12s. The DBE wants to save the school year? What school year is she going to have, what pass rate will we have?

@habibah_ mahomed

Our Grade 12s are at such a disadvantage!!!

Yet our government wants to treat them the same as previous years’ matrics! Why? Were these learners affected by Corona too??

@LeShima

Schools should not close. Kids get screened everyday. If schools are closed, kids don’t stay in their homes and play on the streets with no masks or not screened on daily basis. If schools closed, teachers would also not get paid.

@Priya 40901368

It’s very disappointing that our President made no mention about our children. DBE should please reconsider sending our children to school.

@PatMere1

No thoughts needed here, it is pure logic. We don’t want our learners to remain home for ever but it’s not safe yet.

@ts_thabani

Infection rate at the moment is 12 000 per day yet schools are reopening, why gamble with humans’ lives? When those children come back to their homes with infection and infect the elderly people that they live with… This whole idea is crazy.

@PercyG_Mahlangu

The infections are out of hand. Teachers and learners getting infected passing on the infection to their family and friends like it’s inhumane for the government to continue allowing schooling.. I mean they not saving but ending lives.

@Lungile Balintu1

It’s pitiful and disappointing that our government doesn’t listen to the people and such tendencies reveal how obstinate they are, as unions and people at ground level were against reopening of schools.

@Bongani Mbelekan

Indeed schools must be closed because the peak of this virus is taking people’s lives. It is painful to see what is transpiring in public schools and their state.