{"id":508556,"date":"2021-07-25T07:54:14","date_gmt":"2021-07-25T05:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=508556"},"modified":"2021-07-25T08:03:50","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T06:03:50","slug":"social-distancing-will-not-be-strictly-enforced-when-students-return-to-school-principals-given-odd-instructions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/trending\/508556\/social-distancing-will-not-be-strictly-enforced-when-students-return-to-school-principals-given-odd-instructions\/","title":{"rendered":"Social distancing will not be strictly enforced when students return to school – principals given odd instructions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Social distancing will not be strictly enforced in the classroom when schools return to full-time teaching, the Sunday Times reports, with officials saying it’s more of a ‘guideline’ than a rule.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Gauteng Education Department reportedly told principals in the province that they will not need to \u201cstrictly enforce\u201d one-metre social distancing rules, upon return to school.<\/p>\n

Principals were given these instructions during a virtual meeting on school readiness on Thursday last week.<\/p>\n

A slide shown during the presentation said that the national standing operating procedures \u201cdo not prescribe one-metre spacing but promote the principle of striving for a one-metre distance where possible\u201d.<\/p>\n

This assertion contradicts school procedure documents which say that school bodies must ensure social distancing requirements are met.<\/p>\n

It comes as president Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on Sunday evening regarding lockdown.<\/p>\n

“As a sector, we have held countless consultative sessions to deliberate on the reopening of schools,” said minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga in a national address on Saturday.<\/p>\n

“Depending on confirmation by the president tomorrow after Cabinet, as a sector there is agreement across the board, that we are ready for the reopening of schools on Monday, 26 July 2021.”<\/p>\n

School management teams and support staff, have already gone back to work, as from Thursday, 22 July 2021, to prepare for the return of learners and teachers on Monday, 26 July 2021, the minister said.<\/p>\n

“Based on the information obtained from provinces, schools are ready to continue to work within the established Covid-19 health protocol, also to start resuming full school attendance in the primary schools from the 2 August 2021.<\/p>\n

“The sector continues to be committed, and at all times we are ready to maintain a balance between saving lives and livelihoods while fighting the coronavirus pandemic.”<\/p>\n

Motshekga reiterated yesterday that schools must still abide by national health protocols.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome provinces have already experimented around, even changing seating arrangements \u2013 remove desks, get chairs, so if people have chairs and they write on the laps you give them lap-desks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s better than getting them to be playing in the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Teacher union, SAOU is sharing its work on teacher well-being at the #teacherwellbeing<\/a> seminar
\n\u2066@DBE_NTA<\/a>\u2069 \u2066@HubertMweli<\/a>\u2069 pic.twitter.com\/G0tPZt7f5E<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) July 23, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n