Delay in Reopening of South African Schools Amid Covid-19 Spike
A decision taken by the Council of Education Ministers, the National Coronavirus Command Council and Cabinet, will see the delay in the reopening of primary and secondary schools for the 2021 academic year. The new date for the return to school is now February 15, 2021, instead of January 27, 2021. This follows initial reports by the Department of Basic Education that it had not received any requests to delay the reopening. There are growing concerns at the high rate of Covid-19 infections, as the nation experiences a second wave of the virus, including a new variant that seems to be spreading more rapidly. South Africa has the highest number of infections on the continent with 1,296,806 confirmed cases, 1,049,740 recoveries and 35,852 deaths.
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South Africa:
Government Delays Opening of Schools
SAnews.gov.za, 15 January 2021
With the country experiencing a second wave of COVID-19, government has decided to delay the reopening of both public and private schools by two weeks, to 15 February 2021. Read more »
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South Africa:
Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule - Basic Education Reopening of Schools for Academic Year 2021
Govt of SA, 15 January 2021
Statement delivered by the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule, MP at the media briefing on the Basic Education sector plans for the opening of schools for… Read more »
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South Africa:
Covid-19 - School Opening Delayed
GroundUp, 15 January 2021
Learners to return on 15 February but teachers will go back earlier Read more »
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South Africa:
Schools Will Reopen On 27 January, As Planned, Says Department of Basic Education
Daily Maverick, 10 January 2021
The Department of Basic Education has made assurances that plans are on track for the reopening of schools when the academic year commences on 27 January. Read more »
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South Africa:
Covid-19 Second Wave Forces a Rethink On the Reopening of Schools On 25 January
Daily Maverick, 5 January 2021
We all knew a second Covid-19 wave was on its way. Knowing how the virus had affected schools, education authorities were able to plan for 2021, but no one could have foreseen that… Read more »
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South Africa:
Covid-19 - Learners Risk a Double Blow As Literacy Projects Struggle
GroundUp, 14 December 2020
Learners who have lost hours of schooling are at risk of further setbacks as literacy organisations battle to find funding. Read more »
InFocus
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Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed that the nation will receive one million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021 and a further 500,000 doses in ... Read more »
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Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed that the nation recorded 21,832 new cases of Covid-19, and 844 deaths. This marks the deadliest 24-hour period for new Covid-19 ... Read more »
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"We have taken a deliberately cautious approach to keep schools closed during a period when the country is expected to experience its greatest increase in infections," President ... Read more »
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