22 Mar 2021

Government has put in place COVID-19 prevention measures in schools and has not considered closing them down as the most prudent option in the current circumstances, says Minister of Basic Education, Mr Fidelis Molao.

Answering a question during minister’s question time in Parliament on Friday, Mr Molao said government was concerned about infections in schools, but that closing them down might not be a viable solution since infection rates were higher in communities than schools.

“A wholesale closure of schools due to increasing infections may not yield the desired impact of reducing infections in schools if infections remain high in the communities where movement is not stopped,” Mr Molao said.

He said when the infection rate in schools exceeded that of the community, they would consider closure as schools would be driving the transmission. “We have not reached a tipping point yet as infections in schools remain below infection rates in the community,” he added.

Mr Molao said other than the loss of teaching and learning time, the closure of schools would require returning home thousands of boarding pupils who would then travel back to schools when they eventually reopened, and present a new threat of infection to the school community.

The minister revealed that as at March 17, the total number of people who had tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the disease included 11 273 pupils, 663 support staff and 1 214 teachers.

“I am very saddened by the loss of lives of teachers and support staff in schools. The numbers for public schools are 18 teachers and eight for support staff with an additional two support staff in primary schools who are under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development establishment, but no learner,” Mr Molao revealed.

He added that given the high level of transmission in communities, most cases in schools originated from communities being served by the schools.

Mr Molao also said his ministry had organised psycho-social support services provided by the Department of Special Support Services, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the private sector, which was partly sponsored by the COVID-19 Fund.

He said they had also introduced shifting timetables in schools to allow social distancing in classrooms. He also said they reduced class sizes to around 30 per class due to limited capacity.

“My ministry has employed SHE officers to monitor and ensure compliance to COVID-19 protocols and employed temporary teachers in schools to relieve teachers of large classes,” Mr Molao said.

He also stated that other than following prevention protocols in schools, they liaised with the Ministry of Transport and Communications to enforce compliance to COVID-19 protocols in combis and taxis when transporting learners. He added that some school Parents and Teachers Association (PTAs) were monitoring compliance.

Minister Molao futher disclosed that his ministry had a policy to place a nurse in all secondary boarding schools that were not close to a clinic or a health facility.

 Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas had sought an appraisal on the total number of pupils, teachers, and support staff who tested positive for COVID-19, and efforts by government to address the situation of the pandemic in schools.He also wanted to know the nature of support rendered to pupils, teachers and other staff in the face of escalating COVID-19 cases in schools, and what would be considered a tipping point that could lead to the closure of schools. ends