Schools in Hartbeespoort are ready to go back to school on Monday, 1 June.

Public schools said this week that they are ready to welcome Grade 7 and Grade 12 pupils to thoroughly prepared schools.

All the schools have already been deep-cleaned and sanitised and the Department of Basic Education has already delivered personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks for teachers. They are still waiting for masks for learners, however, if it is not received by Monday, the schools have backup plans in place.

“We are ready for the Grade 7s. The school has established a Covid-19 committee that looks at the various Covid-19 related issues. We have installed sanitiser dispensers in various places and each class will be provided with sanitisers,” said Mauritz du Preez, headmaster of Generaal Hendrik Schoeman Primary School.

“Two of our office staff have been trained by the department to do screening. Learners will enter the school through three gates and will be screened before entering the school. Their temperatures will be taken daily and they will have to answer questions to be filled in on a questionnaire. Social distancing must be strictly adhered to,” he said.

The rest of the grades will continue with online Zoom classes, as the school has been doing for the past two weeks. Before this, learners were given daily lessons via WhatsApp groups.

Hartbeespoort High School headmaster, Herman le Roux, said the school is ready and they cannot wait to see the Grade 12s.”All learners will be screened at the gate and the school has installed a sanitising tunnel when they enter the premises. Hand sanitisers will also be administered at classes. We have decided on face shields for learners, but they are welcome to use masks if they prefer, he said. The rest of the grades, and Grade 12 learners who choose to stay at home, will continue ‘going to school’ with Google Classroom.

He does not foresee major problems with catching up with the syllabus. “It has been trimmed by the department and according to feedback from teachers, I don’t foresee problems.”

Broederstroom Primary School also said it is ready to receive their Grade 7s. “Although we have been teaching on Google Classroom since the second week of lockdown, we miss the contact with children. It is not interactive and teachers cannot see what the learner is doing and help if there is a problem. We are looking forward to having the Grade 7s back,” said acting headmaster André Bezuidenhout. We have installed a sanitising booth and sanitising dispensers at key points in the school, but would like to install more if we get donations. The PPE has been delivered, except for masks for learners. If it is not delivered before the school opens, we have measures in place to provide masks.” He also said children who choose not to return to school immediately, could continue on Google Classroom.

Kormorant could not get hold of Ennis Thabong Primary School before going to print.At each of the schools, less than 10 learners have indicated that they will not be returning to school at present and would like to continue with distance learning.