Two Grade 12 learners on how they feel about going back to school during the Covid-19 pandemic
“Our proposal for schools to remain closed for a further three-month period is the most sensible choice. This will allow every school sufficient time to implement a ‘road map to reopening’ – a checklist of prerequisites that must be satisfied before any school is declared safe to reopen.”
Last week, Motshekga announced schools, which were closed when the president announced a hard lockdown in March, would reopen in a phased manner in line with a more relaxed Level 3 lockdown.
Grades 7 and 12 pupils will be first to go back to school on 1 June, preceded by teachers who return on Monday.
Maimane said in light of the increasing rise in cases of Covid-19 infections, Motshekga’s decision was a “risky and dangerous gamble with the lives of our nation’s young people”.
In his petition, Maimane said, as a father and uncle, he fundamentally disagreed with the decision.
By 15:00 on Friday, more than 120 000 people had signed his petition.
