Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga says 97.6% of public schools are ready to receive learners from Monday despite vandalism of schools.

1. MEDIA STATEMENT READ BY THE HONOURABLEMINISTER OF BASICEDUCATION,MRS ANGIE
MOTSHEKGA, MP ON SUNDAY,07 JUNE 2020
Good afternoonladiesandgentleman
We are addressingyoutoday,more thantwo monthsafterthe national lockdownwasintroducedbyHis
Excellency,PresidentCyril Ramaphosaon27 March 2020. We will recall thatthe national lockdownwas
not introducedtogrindlife ingeneral toasuddenhalt,butto reduce the rate of the novel CoronaVirus
infectionsinourcountry.
On Monday,01 June 2020, at a mediabriefinginRustenburg,we informedthe SouthAfricanpublicthat
the Council of EducationMinisters(CEM) determinedthatthe sectorwasa differentlevelsof readiness;
and requiredmore time tomop-upitsstate of readinessforschool resumptionof schooling,inorderto
complywiththe health,safetyandsocial distancingmeasuresandrequirementsonthe CoronaVirus.
We informedthe publicthat,basedonthree critical reportspresentedtothe CEM on30 May 2020,
CEM resolvedthat–
• Provincesshouldmop-upthe outstandingdeliveriesof Personal ProtectiveEquipment,aswell asthe
outstandingprovisionof waterandsanitationto the schools;
• The ongoingcleaningof schools,shouldbe acceleratedandfinalisedwithinthe weekof 01 June 2020;
• Provincesshouldfinalisethe trainingof screeners,cleanersandvolunteersforthe national school
nutritionprogramme (NSNP);
• Teachers,whose schoolshave alreadyreceivedthe PPE,willreportforworkon01 June 2020, and
prioritise the preparationof theirschoolstodeal withthe “new normal”broughtaboutbythe Corona
Virus;

2. • Teachersandsupportstaff shouldbe inducted andorientatedonthe new school environmentbrought
aboutby the COVID-19;
• Inreturn,the teachersshouldinduct,orientate andcounsel the learners,whohave alreadyarrivedat
the schools,todeal withthe newCOVID-19environments;
• Learnersin Grades7 and 12 shouldresume schoolingwitheffectfrom08 June 2020; and
• Processesrelatedtoindependentschools,small schoolsandschoolsforlearnerswithspecial
educationneeds,shouldbe managedwiththe representativesof thesesectors.
It isgratifyingtomentionthatindeedProvincesexpendedtheirenergiestoensure thatall prerequisites
not yetfulfilledon30 May 2020, were attendedtoduringthe mop-upweekfrom01 June 2020. Most
importantto alsothankmembersof the publicfromdifferentcommunitieswhosteppeduptoassist
schoolsintheirareas,the private sectorthat alsomade huge contributionstoassist,sisterdepartments
especiallythe departmentsof safety,waterandsanitationandthe defenseforce thatassistedthe
departmentgreatlybecause insome areasgoodbeingtransportedtoschoolshadto be escortedand
the current capacityof the departmenthastobe increasedbyothergovernmentdepartmentsand
entities.Lastweek,we hadagreedwithourpartnerstoreconvene on Thursday,04 June 2020 to
continue tomonitorandevaluate all outstandingcomplianceimperatives. CEMmetas planned,andthe
consultationmeetingwithourSectorpartnerswasheldyesterday(Saturday,06June 2020). Both
meetingsagreedthatthe mop-uphasdrasticallyimprovedthe national picture.
The meetingreceivedajointreportfromteachersunions,areportfromthe provincial educationheads,
Rand watere souGhs permissandthe national consortiumledbythe National EducationTrust.The
NECT and RandWater will give highlightsof theirreportsandhave since soughtpermissionstoputto
theirreportsonour website site
• The numberof provinceswhichwere classifiedaslow risklevelsimprovedfromtwotosix provinces.
• The numberof provincesclassifiedasshowingmediumrisklevels,hasimprovedfromthe sevenwhich
were classifiedasmediumrisk(4) andhighrisk(3) on30 May, to three provincesason03 June 2020.

3. • Of course there are varietiesamongProvinces,whichcanbe attributedtoa varietyof factors,
includingbutnotlimitedtovandalismin1 672 schools; interferingwiththe deliveriesof essentialsto
schools;inductionandorientationof educatorsandsupportstaff,waterandsanitationnotyetprovided
to some schools,faultythermometers,amongstother.
We can nowsay withconfidence thatabout95% of our schoolshave beenablyprovidedwiththe
COVID-19relatedimperatives. The Sector,withthe assistance of ourpartners,will strive todeal with
the remaining5%to ensure thatthe unfetteredrightstohealth,safetyandbasiceducationforall South
Africanchildrenare protected. The goldenrule is,there will be noschool thatwill resume,if notready
to do so.For the remaining5%or so learnersalternativemeasureshave beendevelopedbydifferent
districtssuchas temporarilyusingneighboringschools,usingunderutilizedspacesinboardingschools
and puttingotherlearnersincamps.Because some of the alternativesneedconsultationswithparents,
provinceswill be engagingparentsandfollowingthe appropriate protocolstogetparental concessions.
All of thiswe agreedshouldbe finalizedduringthe course of the weekandrecoveryprogramsbe
implemented.
We have since publishedthe Directionsintermsof the Regulationsunderthe DisasterManagementAct,
2002 – regardingthe reopeningof schools,andmeasurestoaddress,preventandcombatthe spreadof
the Corona Virusinthe Basic EducationSector. The Directions,asamendedon01 June 2020, do cater
for deviationstothe extentnecessary,tobe applicable tosmall schools,specialschools,aswell as
independentandprivate schools. Theyalsocaterforinstanceswhere parentsmaychoose tokeeptheir
childrenathome fearingthattheirchildrencouldbe infectedbythe COVID-19;orschoolsmay notbe
readyto resume schooling.
We have solicitedthe supportandassistance of the SouthAfricanNationalDefence,the Development
Bank of SouthernAfrica(DBSA),andMvulaTrust to collaborate withthe Department,Provincesand
Rand Waterto accelerate the provisionof waterandsanitationinoutstandingschools.
We are cooperatingwiththe Departmentof Transportto ensure thatlearnertransportprovided,does
meetthe health,safetyandsocial distancingmeasuresandrequirementsonCOVID-19. Thiswill include
scholartransport forlearnerswithspecial educationneeds.
We are continuingtoworkwiththe Departmentsof HealthandSocial Developmenttoensure that
healthandpsychosocial needsof the school communitiesare met.

4. FellowSouthAfricans,ourmigrationintoAlertLevel3broughtwithitself anew setof Regulations;
hence forthe Basic EducationSector,we supplementedthe Regulationswiththe Directionswe
publishedonFriday,29May 2020. Because,fromthe outset,we concede thatthe Directionscannotbe
seenasstatic, we have alreadypublishedamendmentstothe DirectionsonMonday,01 June 2020 to
covereventualitiesnotanticipationinthe firstpublication.
As we continue ourengagements,we will strengthenthe Directionstothe extentnecessary. Otherthan
affirminghealth,safetyandsocial distancingmeasuresandrequirements,the Directionsupholdsthe
phasedreopeningof publicandindependentschools,startingwithGrades7 and 12 on 01 June 2020;
followedbya clusterof Gradeson 06 July2020; and the lastclusterof Grades reopeningon03 August
2020. We are inthe processof revisingthe 2020 school calendaryear,to accommodate the
peculiarities’broughtbythe novel COVID-19pandemic.
We have andwill continue torespondtothe “new normal”by developingandimplementingplans,
whichinclude regularandstrictinternal andexternal monitoringandevaluationmechanisms. This,
includesthe reconfigurationof CAPScurriculum, the provisionof timetablingoptions,the roll-outof the
school nutritionprogramme. We have institutionalisedinternal andexternalmonitoringandevaluation;
and we are providingdetailedweeklyreportstothe Headsof DepartmentsCommittee(HEDCOM),the
Council of EducationMinisters(CEM),andto our critical stakeholders,includingteacherunions,national
school governingbodiesassociations;andthe sector-basedstakeholders,includingnational associations
representingindependentschools,aswell asspecial schools. Ourexternal monitoringandevaluationis
conductedbya consortiumof researcherscoordinatedbythe National EducationCollaborationTrust
(NECT),thatalso provide independentweeklyreportsonthe state of readinessandcompliance withthe
measuresandrequirementsdeterminedthroughthe DirectionsandRegulationsonCOVID-19.
The challengesrelatedtocomorbiditiesamongeducatorsare beingattendedto. Anagreementwith
organisedlabourisaboutto be completed. StandardOperatingProcedureswillbe circulatedamong
schoolsto ensure thatschoolsare able to manage identifiedinfectionsamongeducators,learners,
educatorsand supportstaff.
Where practicablypossible,learnersfromthe “not-so-readyschools”,will be movedtoneighbouring
schoolsthatmeetthe health,safetyandsocial distancingsetmeasuresandrequirements. The teaching
and learningprogrammesprovidedonline will continue;andparentswhoare uneasytosendtheir
childrenbackto school,mustfollowthe law toensure thattheirchildren’srighttobasiceducationis
unhindered.

5. Today,we have the Membersof the Executive responsibleforEducationpresentatthismediabriefing.
Afterthe presentationsfromthe consortiumof researchers,RandWaterandthat fromthe Heads of
EducationDepartmentsCommittee,the MECswill engage onthe state of readinessof schoolstoresume
schoolingtomorrow,08 June 2020.
FellowSouthAfricans,we wishtoconclude byacknowledgingthe immeasurableandhighly appreciated
support,guidance andstewardshipprovidedbyHisExcellency,the President,Cabinetandthe National
COVID-10CommandCouncil. The supportprovidedbythe Departmentof WaterandSanitation,Rand
Water,the Departmentof Health,National Treasury;andthe recentinvolvementof the SouthAfrican
National Defence,the DevelopmentBankof SouthernAfrica(DBSA),the Departmentof Transport,and
Mvula Trust issecondto none. Theirinvolvementhasacceleratedourinterventionsinthe provinces,
especiallythe reachtothe most rural andremote schools. The resumptionof schoolingonMonday,08
June 2020, is nowmore possible thanaweekago.
We mustalsosingle outour parents,teachersandlearners,whohadtopatientlyendure the ill-effects
of the abnormal 2020 school calendaryearwithus. We can assure youthat your anxietiesare ourstoo;
we too have spentthe sleeplessnightsyouspent. We have done andwill continuetodoour level best
to ensure thatour schoolsare safe. All of us are therefore,calledtodowhateverwe are expectedto
do,to ensure thatour school communitiesandspacesdonotbecome the new hotspotsforthe COVID-
19 pandemic. The DeputyMinisterandI,wishto encourage the Director-General,Superintendents-
General,officialsatthe national,provincial,districtandcircuitlevels,tocontinue doingthe goodwork
theyhave beendoing. We have a dutyto perform, andwe must continue todoit selflessly.
May I nowinvite the MECsto give accountson the state of readinesstoresume schoolingwithintheir
respective provinces.
I thankyou