23 Jun 2020

Nyangabgwe Primary School has created a system to reduce queues at the gate for learners, as part of its compliance strategies to the COVID-19 protocols.

The school head, Ms Boingotlo Chaba said each learner was provided with an exercise book to record their temperatures, with class teachers later entering the temperatures into the registration forms.

She said this was done not only to avoid delays at the school gate, but also to prevent learners from being affected by the cold weather.

She said although at first they had a challenge of using cold water for washing hands, now they had sanitisers and eight thermometers.

Ms Chaba said the new foot-operated taps had been implemented since parents had complained about their children having to touch the water tap contrary to the health protocols.

The school head explained that due to shortage of classes, they had opted to use reception classes and laboratories to accommodate all the pupils, hence no shifts.

In addition, she said they had increased the number of classes for standard three, four, five and six.

“Initially our standard three classes were only three, but now we have increased them to four as a way of abiding by the social distancing rule and the same goes for standard four, five and six classes, which were also increased from four to five classes,” she said.

Ms Chaba said the school had three SHE officers.

She further said due to the increase of classes, they had requested additional teachers.

For her part, Nyangabgwe Parents and Teachers Association chairperson, Ms Gaolatlhe Bikani said the Francistown City Council was taking too long to help the school, which situation had forced the school to buy sanitisers with its own funds.

She said another issue that needed attention was that of learners being dropped off by taxis and mini buses too early, which was not conducive as it put them in danger as no teachers were available to take care of them. ENDS