- In total, 55 schools in the Western Cape have reported positive Covid-19 cases.
- 18 schools did not open due to cleaning after confirmed Covid-19 cases.
- The department will not be releasing the names of schools where positive cases have been recorded.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said 18 schools in the province have been closed for cleaning due to positive cases of Covid-19.
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On Monday, the department said 55 of the approximately 1 500 schools under its management have reported Covid-19 cases.”This past week (ending last Friday), we have received reports from our education districts that there are 55 schools and 66 employees that have been confirmed as positive for Covid-19″, department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said.
The 18 schools did not reopen this week due to cleaning.Hammond said as of Friday there were two confirmed pupil cases. One case was in the Cape Town metro east and the other in the Cape Winelands.
“These learners had been infected before arriving at school this week and have since tested positive. A strict protocol is being followed in this regard, as per our guidelines”, she said.
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The WCED said parents and school staff have the right to know about any Covid-19 cases at their school. The department added schools were expected to keep staff and parents informed of developments related to Covid-19, and the steps taken to ensure their safety.
However, the department said it will not be releasing the names of schools where positive cases have been recorded, to protect the privacy of staff and pupils.
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