Mbabane: Minister of Education and Training Lady Howard-Mabuza has called up all primary and secondary teachers to report for work on Monday, March 22, 2021 in preparations for the re-opening of schools.
Schools will re-open on March 29, 2021 as announced by the Acting Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku on Thursday, March 18, 2021.
In a statement issued by the Minister of Education on Friday, the government says Government’s decision to re-open schools is not because the virus has been contained but this is done in consideration of the socioeconomic impact of prolonged school closure. The rate of teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, child labour and early child marriages has notably increased since the closure of schools.
Mabuza said in preparation for re-opening on the March 29, 2021, all teachers, from primary to secondary are requested to return to their duty stations as of Monday, March 22, 2021. This is to ensure that they prepare schools to be ready to welcome learners for effective teaching and learning.
“This will give teachers an opportunity to strategize on how to manage learners’ rotational schedules relevant to their context as well as manage the learners on each day of school,” Mabuza said.
This plan should include a detailed approach towards the thermo scanning of learners, demarcating floors in classrooms for social distancing, cleaning schedules, monitoring of COVID-19 guidelines, ensuring hand washing stations are operational and ensuring learners do not mix during breaks, to name just a few.
The Minister said the Ministry developed a COVID-19 training module which all teachers are expected to teach to learners on the first week of reopening. The Ministry believes knowledge is the most effective way to ensure that learners adhere to these guidelines and will further pass this information to their parents and communities.
As means of addressing the issue of social distancing in schools, the
Minister Mabuza said her ministry has also developed a plan detailing a blended approach to teaching and learning. This means specific levels will be allowed to school for face-to-face instructional time on specific days and give them assignments to do while they are at home.
Below is the schedule that all schools are mandated to follow;
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