Motshekga’s school reopening guidelines

FROM how they walk to school to finally taking their seats in the classroom, schools will be a whole new world for pupils when they reopen next month.

Teachers and non-teaching staff will need to be mentally strong for the job ahead. This much can be deducted from guidelines that the Department of Basic Education released to schools.

“Avoid excessive exposure to Covid-19 media and social media coverage, especially negative ones, to avoid mental health effects,” the guidelines recommended to teachers and non-teaching staff.

“Take personal or group time to unwind and remind oneself that the intense feelings of fear, panic, and anxiety will fade. Remember to practise social distancing when in groups.”

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s reopening plan, which gives priority to matric and Grade 7 classes, has been widely criticised.

Many have even questioned how pupils would get to class and back home without risking Covid-19 infection.

The department’s guidelines urged pupils to desist from the culture of walking in groups to and from school.

“If pupils walk to school, it is important that they practise social distancing and good hygiene to prevent becoming infected by Covid-19 droplets carried in the air,” said the guidelines.

“Close proximity to an infected person is risky and it is therefore recommended that walkers keep at least 1.5m apart from each other.”

Those using public and scholar transport will be covered by the regulations in place already.

On entering schools, pupils will find basins outside classrooms to wash their hands.

“The school management team (SMT) and non-teaching staff must ensure that handwashing basins and/ or sanitisers are placed at the entrance of every classroom and at other strategic points,” said the department.

While each classroom will have its hand sanitiser, the wearing of masks will also be compulsory for pupils and teachers.

“The SMT, teachers and non-teaching staff must arrive at school before the pupils in order to make the necessary preparations for their arrival,” the guidelines said.

“Please note that SMT members, teachers and non-teaching staff above the age of 60, as well as those with comorbidities (eg hypertension, diabetes, asthma, heart diseases, etc.) identified by the Department of Health should be allowed to remain on leave with full pay.”

Teachers back on the job might have to put in some extra time as part of the department’s recovery plan, according to the guidelines.

“In order to recover lost time, it may be necessary for schools, in consultation with their district offices, to increase the daily teaching time by 30 minutes in the intermediate phase, 45 minutes in the senior phase and a maximum of two hours in the FET phase.”

Five teacher unions yesterday raised doubts on whether schools were ready to reopen.

They accused Motshekga of not consulting them properly and not addressing a range of safety and operational issues they had raised.

On supply of non-teaching staff, unions questioned how schools that had no such staff for the past 26 years would access them.

“The education support personnel are critical for the frequent cleaning of the schools,” said the SA Democratic Teachers Union and the Professional Educators Union.

The unions said Motshekga had also not addressed issues on the appointment of substitute teachers, who were needed to stand in for teachers working from home due to pre-existing conditions.