31 Jan 2021

Chobe acting regional director (operations), in the Ministry of Basic Education, Mr Elijah Motlhabi has raised a concern about increasing number of COVID-19 cases in schools.

In an interview with BOPA, he said currently schools had  registered 11 cases while last year only two cases were recorded.

He explained that from the 11 cases, eight were pupils and three teachers.

 He noted that a total of 96 pupils from two schools were on home quarantine following cases of COVID-19, adding that all cases were in Kasane schools while other schools in the region did not record any case.

Mr Motlhabi, however, said while cases were increasing in schools, he was confident that schools were still safe as it was observed that pupils who tested positive to COVID-19 had either their parents or relatives who had tested positive.

He said the ministry and District Health Management Team made a precautionary decision at the beginning of the term to test all teachers, support staff in both public and private schools as well as boarding students as the assumption was that they had travelled to their homes in different zones during the term break.

Mr Motlhabi said it was during the testing that two of the three teachers tested positive. 

He said school communities  must continue to sanitise, wash hands frequently, encourage social distancing as the protocols had   proven to be effective.

He implored parents to encourage children to always wear masks properly and discourage them from playing in groups on the streets. 

Mr Motlhabi said just like in the olden days, elders should take responsibility of all children and rebuke them when they disobeyed COVID-19 protocols. ENDS