28 May 2020

Chief education officer at Bobirwa Sub-region, Mr Moses Tshetlhana says 44 schools under his region are ready to reopen on June 2.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Tshetlhana outlined a number of measures put in place to ensure that learners are safe and protected from COVID-19 when schools reopen.

Government closed schools on March 20 in an effort to avoid spread of the COVID-19 before setting the country on a 28-day lockdown, followed by seven more days as a control measure.

Amongst some measures taken by schools in Bobirwa Sub-region to ensure safe operations and protection of students, Mr Tshetlhana explained that six schools would implement a double shift to avoid overcrowding of learners.

The six junior schools are Sefophe JSS, Bobirwa JSS, Molalatau JSS, Bobonong JSS, Gobojango JSS and Tsetsebjwe JSS.

To successfully implement double shift, Mr Tshetlhana explained that schools had already prepared timetables for their operations.

Mr Tshetlhana also pointed out that some boarding schools with excess accommodation such as Mmadinare Senior School and Motlhasedi Junior Secondary School in Tobane had moved to reduce numbers of students from 11 to eight in a dormitory.

Mmadinare SSS has a boarding capacity of 1 188 against the current occupation of 956, whilst Motlhasedi JSS has a capacity of 830 against the current occupation of 175 students.

The sub region has also conducted training for school heads, guidance teachers and heads of departments on guidelines of reopening of schools, Mr Tshetlhana has said.

He also said each of the 44 schools had a thermometer in place and were awaiting another consignment of thermometers that would see each school getting five more thermometers by next week.

In addition to the thermometers, the 44 schools will each get a safety, health and environment (SHE) officer who is expected to report for duty on June 1. The SHE officers, Mr Tshetlana explained were hired from their localities.

To further bolster the preparations, the sub region education chief said teachers had reported for duty in the past week and a half to prepare for a reopening of schools.

The teachers have been instructed to drill the learners on safety guidelines for the first two days of reopening, said Mr Tshetlhana.

Mr Tshetlhana further revealed that most of the toilets at the schools were fixed whilst many more were converted from pit latrines to a water-based system. He also said all the kitchens were fumigated whilst schools continued buying food for students.

To ensure compliance of the reopening guidelines, in addition to SHE officers, schools have COVID-19 coordinators. A further addition will see a COVID-19 team that comprises school head, guidance teacher, supplies officer and maintenance officer at full flight.

For purposes of awareness, schools will have information display. Also, 41 of the 44 schools already have sickbays arranged according to Mr Tshetlhana.

To further augment safety of the students, Mr Tshetlhana said there were strategic areas within the schools where students would wash their hands such as toilets, kitchens and within classroom blocks.

He appealed to schools to avail waste bins at some areas in the school for disposal of waste. ENDS