While not without some challenges, the majority of principals spoken to by The Herald said personal protective equipment (PPE) had eventually been delivered, pupil numbers were looking good and safety measures were in place.
Schools partially reopened on Monday last week.
However, some schools had to be shut during the first week due to Covid-19 infections — at least 60 schools in the province, of which 19 were in Nelson Mandela Bay.
At Parsons Hill Primary School, 100 of the school’s 103 grade seven pupils are back in class, with principal Clinton Saddler saying it was only those with underlying conditions — such as heart conditions and asthma — who had not returned.
Saddler said the department of education had “come to the party” and delivered PPE.
Those that we didn’t get, we supplied,” Saddler said, adding that the school had gone all out to allay any fears parents or teachers might have had.
We have had teachers on duty early in the morning and at break time to ensure the kids understand social spacing … because kids will be kids.”
Saddler said the school had divided the classes, with the school hall also being used.
“We have gone all out to allay any parental and teacher fears and we have had lots of grateful parents.”
Adapting to masks and shields was somewhat of a challenge but “we are doing very well with our new normal.”
A Uitenhage high school principal, who did not want to be named, said 80 to 85% of his pupils had returned and the department had provided PPE albeit in “dribs and drabs.”
What the department had not done, he said, was to sanitise the school.
“We did that ourselves because it was one of the union’s non-negotiables and we also did not want our parents and pupils to have concerns.”
The principal said pupils were being allowed to wear civvies so that clothes could be washed every day.
“We are back and fully operational. We have done what we had to do, but there are concerns when you hear about schools being closed [because of Covid-19 cases] and we do worry about when it will be us,” he said.
By Zizonke May and Angela Daniels – DispatchLIVE