Newsletters 2020-04-30 Newsletter 283 - DBE "DRAFT" PLAN - COVID 19 - Reopening Schools... A FEW INITIAL COMMENTS
"Let's at least then keep hope alive" SOME INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
•Taiwanclosedschoolsonlyfortwoweeks,andresumedafterthat.Introducedstrictsocialdistancingmeasures.Temperaturescreeninginthemorning,compulsoryfacemasksandregularhandwashingandplasticdividersondesks. •Chinaclosedallschoolsbetween20Januaryand6February2020.Returneddifferentgradesinphaseswithgrades9and12first.Compulsoryclothmasksandtemperaturescreening.Handsanitizersavailable. •DenmarkopenedECDcentresandprimaryschoolstoGrade5.Nofacemaskrequirement.Butseparatedesksto1m.Regularhandwashingandhandsanitizersavailable.Cordonofftheplaygroundtolimitinteraction.Andlimitplaygroups.Staggerbreaktimes.Verylimiteduptakethoughasmostparentsrefusetosendchildrentoschool.Onlyintoitssecondweekthough. •Singaporedidnotcloseschools.Havehadarecentspikeinnewinfections.Announcedlastweekthatallschoolsanduniversitiestobeclosedfrom20April.Someschoolsand
Size of the Schooling System: Learners: 12 408 755 Educators:407 001 Schools: 23 076 LEARNER / TEACHERS / SCHOOLS
SOCIAL DISTANCING IMPLICATIONS Infrastructure and Furniture •Sanitizeclassroompriortostartofschoolday •Sanitizehandsonenteringofclassroom •Limitmovementoflearnersbetweenclasses •Noclusteringofdesksinclassrooms
Transport •WorkwithDoTtoensurethatbusesaresanitizedpriortostartoftrip •Sanitizehandsonenteringofbus •Managedistancebetweenlearnersinbus •Compulsorywearingofmasksthroughouttheschoolday,startingbeforeboardingtransport
REMEDIAL MEASURES 1.Provincesidentifiedschoolswithcriticalwatersupplychallenges. 2.DepartmentofWater&Sanitation(DWS)initiatedanEmergencyWaterSupplyprogramme: a)Thatinstallswatertanksatcriticalsupplypoints b)Thendeliverportablewaterbywatertruckstothesetanks 3.DBEwillparticipateinthisinitiativetogetwatertanksinstalledattheidentifiedschoolsandtogetpotablewaterdeliveredtothesetanks. 4.FollowingthelatestliaisonwithProvinces,therevisedfigureisaround3500schoolswithcriticalwatersupplychallenges.
BASIC SANITATION AND HYGIENE PACKAGE •Abasicandessentialhygieneandsanitationpackagehasbeendeveloped,andprovincesareprocuringitems.Theseincludecleaninganddisinfectionmaterials,PPE,sanitizers,handwashingsoap,gloves,clothmasks&thermometers. •TheDBEhasdevelopedGuidelinesforschoolsonmaintaininghygieneduringtheCOVID-19pandemictoproviderecommendationsonthepropercleaninganduseofPersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE)basedonriskexposureincluding: –Basicprinciplesofinfectionpreventionandcontrol; –Riskreductionmethodsforschools,classrooms,toilets/bathrooms,offices,andfoodpreparationarears; –Dailydutiesofcleaners;and –HowtousePersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE).
SCREENING, TESTING & TRACING •Screeningoflearnersandeducatorswillbedoneatre-openingofschoolsstartingwithGrades7and12(temperaturecheck).
•Learnersorstaffmembersthatpresentwithraisedtemperaturewillthenbeconsideredforisolationandtesting.
STANDARD OPERATION PROCEDURES TheStandardOperatingProcedures(SOPs)fortheContainmentandManagementofCOVID-19forChildcareFacilities,SchoolsandSchoolCommunities(consultedwithDOHandprovinces)provideguidelinesforalladministratorsonthestepstobeundertakeninordertopreventthespreadandmanagecasesofCOVID-19including: •GuidanceforchildcarefacilitiesandschoolsonpreventingtheofspreadofCOVID-19; •RoleofchildcarefacilitiesandschoolsinrespondingtoCOVID-19; •ManagementofCOVID-19CasesinaChildcarefacilityorSchool; •GuidelinesforHeadsofDepartmentsandSupervisorsonCOVID-19:Procedureregardingemployees; •ManagementandMonitoringofabsenteeism; •LearnerTransportmeasures; •Closureofaunit/component/office/departmentifanemployeetestedpositiveforCOVID-19;and •Howtocleaneducationalestablishmentswheretherewerelearners,stafforotherswithsuspectedorconfirmedcasesofCOVID-19.
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING •Thepurposeoftheorientationandtrainingprogrammeistoenablelearners,educatorsandnon-teachingstafftoadjusttoandbecomefamiliarwiththespecialarrangementsatschoolsfollowingtheoutbreakofthecoronavirusinSouthAfrica.
•Theorientationprogrammeprovidesguidelinesforinteractionwithlearners,parents,educatorsandnon-teachingstaffintheschoolcommunity.
•Alllearners,educatorsandsupportstaffwillreceiveorientationandtrainingatthestartoftheschoolreopeningcommencingwithGrade7and12.
•Theorientationandtrainingprogramme/packagewillcomprise: –atrainingmanual –Videoclipsandaninformationbookletarethekeyresourcestodelivertheorientationprogramme –Postersandappropriatesignagetodirectteachers,learnersandnon-teachingstaffonwhattodo. •Theorientationprogrammewillbelinkedtoacommunicationstrategyandsharedthrough: –TelevisionandRadioBroadcasts –WhatsAppandothersocialmediaplatforms –WebsitesofDBE,PEDsandPartners
DRAFT AMENDED SCHOOL CALENDAR •Theoriginalschoolcalendaryearstartedon15January2020andwouldhaveendedon4December2020.Theamendedschoolcalendarwillendon9December2020. •TheSchoolCalendarfor2020willbeadjustedtohaveschoolsopenon4May2020forteachersand6Mayforlearners.Thegradeswillbephased-instartingwithGrades7and12.ThelostschooldayswillberecoveredbyshorteningtheJuneholidaysto5daysandtheSeptemberholidaystoalongweekendinordertomakeupthesedays.The4thtermwillalsobelengthenedtocloseon9December2020forlearnersand11December2020forteachers.
NON NEGOTIABLES (PRE-CONDITIONS) FOR THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS 1.COVID-19essentials(BasicSanitation&HygienePackage). 2.Water&Sanitation(Mobilefacilitiestoreplacepitlatrines). 3.Cleaners(EPWP). 4.Screeners(EPWP). 5.Additionalteachingpoststodealwithovercrowding(Noclassshouldhavemorethan40learners). 6.Additionalsubstitutepoststoreplacestaffduetolongillness. 7.Provisionofmobileclassroomstodealwithovercrowdingastemporarymeasure. 8.IncubationCampsforprogressedandweakerlearners(Grade12).
RULES FOR OPERATION •OfficesandInstitutionsareencouragedtoadoptawork-from-homestrategywherepossible,andallstaffwhocanworkremotelymustbeallowedtodoso. •Workersabovetheageof60,aswellasworkerswithcomorbiditiesidentifiedbytheDepartmentofHealthshouldbeofferedawork-from-homeoptionorallowedtoremainonleavewithfullpay. •Thereshouldbeworkplaceprotocolsinplacethatwouldincludediseasesurveillanceandpreventionofthespreadofinfection. •AllofficesandinstitutionsmustscreenemployeesandlearnersonadailybasisforsymptomsofCOVID-19,includingasymptomcheckaswellastemperatureassessment. •Alllearnersandemployeesmustuseaclothmaskespeciallywheresocialdistancingisnotpossible. •Officesandinstitutionsmusthavesanitizersavailableorhandwashingfacilitieswithsoap. •Stringentsocialdistancingmeasuresshouldbeimplementedintheofficesandinstitutions.
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