Covid-19: S.Africa criticised for keeping schools open

South Africa’s education department has hit back at criticism over its decision to have schools remain open despite a spike in Covid-19 cases.

By Wednesday afternoon, the country had recorded 298,392 confirmed cases and 4,346 deaths, the highest in Africa.

The government has been on the receiving end of criticism from parents, unions and opposition politicians since announcing that schools would reopen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Professor Jonathan Jansen, Vice Chancellor of the University of Free State, said Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga could not dictate academic terms to a virus.

“Teachers have died. Principals have been on ventilators. Children have been infected. Non-teaching staff have become seriously ill. In response, schools opened and closed and opened again, causing huge disruptions to the timetable,” he told Radio 702 on Wednesday.

In an open letter, the department’s spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said criticism of the State was being peddled by someone wanting “to turn public sentiment against a hard-working Minister committed to finding effective solutions”.

“The minister is encompassing solutions to not only salvage the academic year, which is not a crime by the way, but to also keep access open for the poorest of the poor in far-flung communities of the republic who need an open classroom if they are to take aim at a possible future free of ignorance and poverty,” said Mr Mhlanga in the letter.

He added that the department was not convinced to close the school year, adding that it will never tire of explaining its approach to reopening schools. 

“We have also listened to science and medical experts who pay careful attention to the evolution of Covid-19 and its implications on education policy and practice. At the same time an impression must not be created that we are trying to save the academic year at the expense of lives. The South African government is allowing various sectors to gradually resume activities to maintain the balance between saving lives and livelihood...needless to say, the provision of basic education is part of livelihood,” he said.

On Tuesday, the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) resolved that schools should stay closed until the end of the peak.

Sadtu said it cannot continue to send messages of condolences to families after teachers died from Covid-19 related complications.

It said the suspension of classes during the pandemic peak would afford the department more time to implement alternative measures to allow for teaching and learning to take place.

In Gauteng province alone, 120 schools have closed after confirmed Covid-19 cases.