Department of Basic Education will be opening schools for lower grades next week; this is despite the fact that schools are becoming a hot-spot for Covid 19.
To date there are 775 schools affected, 523 learners, 1169 staff and number of educators have passed on (READ) .
The Department stubbornly reopened schools before the peak of the virus. Since then, schools have had to close and open as Covid 19 continues to affect schools. Leaving one question: what’s the point of reopening schools when they open and close almost every week as new Covid 19 cases are discovered? Another question is: at what length will the Department go in order to keep schools open? Will this not affect how these cases are reported?
How can the public be assured that the Department will not cover up what’s really happening in schools with regards to Covid 19?
(teachers’ deaths)
Government officials have done well to go under the radar, especially after the Gauteng Education Offices were hit with the virus and had to close few weeks ago.
One cannot ignore the money making opportunities presented by the virus. Sanitizing schools, distribution of PPEs and Testing kits are not done for free. There are tenders issued. This may explain the silence by the unions. Of-course it’s a speculation at the moment. But schools have continued to accumulate more numbers of learners, teachers and school staff with Covid 19; the unions have kept quiet, a complete contrast to before schools reopening.
Unemployment and corruption has destroyed trust between Government and its people. With schools open, someone is laughing all the way to the bank while someone is weeping all the way to the grave.
Lower grades return to schools next week; the current situation shows that the Department has never had any grip on this.
South African Health System overloaded
Already South African Health system is cracking under pressure. In the Eastern Cape there are reports of patience fighting over beds and oxygen ventilators. Reopening of schools has contributed to that, maybe a small percentage, by the look of things, this percentage will increase.
A number of young people have either died, dying or waiting to die. Many take to social media to say that “the virus is real and it’s dangerous for young people”.
SA is Unique
This proves that South Africa is unique. Majority of people here are different to other countries; health and nutrition are not of great standards. We are the epicenter of HIV/Aids. Lots of young people have underlying health issues that they do not know about.
Remember that majority of households use traditional doctors for their health care. Therefore there will not be recorded history of their health records.
South Africa was already in deep trouble before the Pandemic, unemployment and corruption were the leading pandemics. How much of those problems affected the state of individuals’ health?
The Department of Basic Education has looked at 1st world countries’ models to reopen schools. The “out of touch with reality” approach has compromised many households especially in rural areas.
The public will never know the extent of how much this reckless approach has costed lives.
South Africa was unhealthy before the virus. Children who attended schools had health problems; most of them affected or infected by HIV/Aids which is still present by the way. Now the same learners are asked to add Covid 19 in their school luggage.
One can only hope and pray that the Department and it’s officials will come-off their high horses, develop heart and sympathy for small children in the rural areas. Allow the peak to pass then reopen the lower grades!