The DA welcomes return to school of Grades R, 6 and 11, but urges DBE to ensure a swift and safe return of all learners

The announcement by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for a slower approach to schools reopening, which will see the return of only Grades R, 6 and 11 on Monday, is welcomed by the Democratic Alliance (DA), especially in light of the projected spike in the level of Covid-19 infections across the country. 

While it is important for these learners to recover the lost academic year, their safety and health should at all times remain a priority. We are committed to ensuring that the academic year is resumed in order to secure the futures of our learners, but agree that this should only take place when measures to safeguard the safety of learners, staff and educators have been put in place. 

The DA sees this approach as practical and necessary. However, this decision does not mean that the DBE and its provincial counterparts should rest on their laurels. 

The department must not waste any more time in ensuring the safety standards are adhered to and maintained across the board, in order to ensure that all schools are equipped and ready for additional learners’ return to school. The return of the remaining learners cannot be postponed for too long. 

The DA is particularly concerned about the poor level of preparedness which still exist at some schools across the country, particularly Eastern Cape schools which are demonstrably not ready for the returning learners at this time. We are disappointed by the failure of the Education MEC in the province to ensure the readiness of the province’s school for reopening. We have therefore, written to the Chairperson of Portfolio Committee of Basic Education in Parliament to invite the MEC of Basic Education in the Eastern Cape, Fundile Gade, to appear before the Committee to account to their failures in preparing respective schools according to the regulations. 

We also call on the department to zoom in on the province’s plans to addressing the challenges that threaten the safe reopening of schools on Monday. Provinces that are not ready for re-opening of their respective schools must put together a report on their state of readiness so that the challenges they face can be addressed as soon as possible so that no child is robbed indefinitely of an opportunity to learn. 

We wish the returning learners all the best as they adapt to their new academic reality and we trust that they will all make a success of the remaining academic period.

Statement issued by Prof Belinda Bozzoli MP and Nomsa Marchesi MP, 5 July 2020