Back to school 1 June: Grade 12 & Grade 7. Face mask compulsory

The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, and the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande announced today that when children go back to school, they will be compelled to wear masks.

Under the level 4 restrictions, the government has earlier this week announced that nobody can leave their home without a cloth face mask. And to attend work, you must also wear a face mask.

Soon every person you see outside of your home will be wearing a mask or risking arrest and a fine.

Further regulations for the opening of schools

Teachers and scholars will have to keep to the social distancing rules. That means that some classrooms will not be able to accommodate the usual number of children.

The Minister said that they are recruiting more teachers. Teachers over 60 years old, will remain under lockdown and not go back to teaching now.

Both teachers and scholars will be screened daily to pick up any symptoms, including screening then for temperature. High temperature is currently one of the best ways to identify a person with the coronavirus.

Schools will also have to be sanitized thoroughly before classes can start.

Only some Grades going back to school 1 June

The ministers have announced that:

  • Schools open for their Management Teams on 11 May – to prepare the schools to receive learners and teachers
  • Teachers will start school on 18 May

Face masks for school children

The ministers announced that the government will supply face masks to teachers and students who do not have their own. 

They urged students and parents and civil society to make masks for themselves and for the people around them.

We have already seen volunteer groups like the South Africa Face Mask Initiative in conjunction with the So So Into It Academy make and give away thousands of masks countrywide, the past few weeks under lockdown.

With the government setting out a tender for the creation of thousands of masks, organizations like Together We Pass  and Matric College have started their own business units (Shield Face Masks) to start supplying cloth face masks to the public, and also to apply for these tenders.

South Africa Face Mask Initiative https://www.facebook.com/groups/825270284627849/

So So Into It Academy https://www.facebook.com/SoSoIntoItAcademy/

Together We Pass https://www.facebook.com/TogetherWePass/

Matric College https://www.facebook.com/MatricCollegeZA/

Shield Face Masks https://www.facebook.com/shieldfacemasks/