Live stream: Angie Motshekga to finalise plan on reopening of schools

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga is expected to address the media and the nation regarding the reopening of schools under Level 3 on Monday 1 June at 11:00. 

This comes after the briefing she was supposed to hold on Sunday 31 May, fell through at the last minute, and caused confusion to say the least.

CONFUSION AROUND REOPENING OF SCHOOLS 

The briefing on Sunday at 18:00 was supposed to outline whether schools were ready to reopen or not — just one day before Grade 7 and 12 learners were expected to make a return. 

Motshekga said consultations with the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) revealed that some schools were not ready to reopen.

This also comes after the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) threatened to take legal action against the department of basic education for the decision to have learners return as early as 1 June under lockdown Level 3.

After the postponement, parents, teachers and learners all across the country were left confused as to whether a return to school was happening or not. 

Then, the department dropped a bombshell — one day before the scheduled return. It not only postponed the briefing until Monday but also said that Grade 7 and 12 learners are expected to return to school on a new date — 8 June. 

WATCH: ANGIE MOTSHEKGA ADDRESSES THE NATION ON MONDAY 1 JUNE 

[Stream will appear here just before 11:00]

WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MAKES IT OWN CALL 

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) added to the confusion when it said that learners would still return on 1 June — this despite Motshekga’s turnaround announcement. 

MEC for Education Debbie Schäfer argued that according to gazetted directives, Grade 7 and 12 learners will be allowed to return to schools on 1 June under Level 3.

Schäfer said schools in the Western Cape cannot be allowed to hover in uncertainty while the Department of Basic Education gets its act together. 

“We have been engaged in discussions at a national level over the weekend and were awaiting the Minister’s announcement that was scheduled for 18h00 this evening. Given that this has now been postponed until tomorrow, we can no longer allow our schools to hover in a state of uncertainty,” said Schäfer, full steam ahead. 

“Following the national minister’s earlier announcements, we have pulled out all the stops as a province to ensure that we are ready for the arrival of learners tomorrow,” she added. 

If Schäfer’s directives on schools backfire, it could send the Western Cape — which is already a hotspot — nosediving back to Level 4 or 5.