Schools to return to full-time learning from Monday

WENDY MOTHATA |

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has on Tuesday announced that schools will return to full-time learning from Monday, February 7, 2022.

This is after the Cabinet approved changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations on Monday.

 “Primary, secondary and special schools will return to daily attendance. The regulatory provision for the social distancing of one metre for learners in schools has also been removed. The Ministers of Health and Basic Education will in the coming days issue directives reflecting on this new approach,” the Cabinet statement said.

The Department of Basic Education has welcomed the decision by Cabinet to allow schools to return to full-time learning in all schools.

“The Department of Basic Education welcomes the decision by Cabinet to allow schools to return to full-time learning in all schools,” said department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.

Mhlanga said that the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) met on Tuesday morning to process the decision.

“CEM agreed that schools would return to normal time-tabling as from Monday 7 February 2022,” he said.

He further said that a series of meetings have been scheduled with stakeholders to inform them of the decision, “in the meantime, the sector would prepare for the full return of learners.”

Mhlanga said, “the Minister will gazette new directions in the coming days to reflect the Cabinet decision and to also provide guidance ahead of the resumption of traditional time-tabling.”

The Department said the CEM will meet again on Friday.