The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) has recommended that schools only kick off for 2021 in the middle of February. It made the recommendation on Wednesday, January 13, but the National Alliance of Independent Schools in South Africa (Naisa) says it hopes that schools will be able to open as soon as possible for more effective and face-to-face teaching.
The NCCC made the recommendation in light of the second wave of COVID-19 that has hit the country.
As reported by The Citizen, Naisa secretary-general Ebrahim Ansur said the NCCC’s proposal would have to be presented to the relevant subcommittees and then Cabinet would take the final decision on its approval.
Cabinet’s decision can be expected in the coming days, Ansur said. He added that independent schools that have opened will still be expected to adhere to Cabinet’s decision.
Naisa is pleading for balance as the closure of schools in 2020 caused independent schools to suffer great losses, but is also aware that these schools also have to play their part in flattening the curve.
Schools that are able to offer online learning are expected to do so for the time being, as schools were originally meant to commence for the year on January 27.
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