On Friday, Free State education MEC Tate Makgoe tweeted: “We don’t agree with Cosas' approach to disrupt our schools. In the province, more than 2.2-million people have been screened and 31,000 tested. It will be impossible to test every learner and teacher in our schools. The country does not have that capacity.”
Earlier in the week, he had assured parents that the department would ensure all schools complied with Covid-19 regulations.
“As the department, we won't force parents to send learners to school but rather encourage them to do so. Learners will always be screened, social workers and health officials are available should any challenges occur. Every school is linked to a health clinic.
" ... Should a learner face a challenge at school, we as the department will solve the challenge.”
On the first day of schools reopening for grades seven and 12 last week, he said about 95% of pupils and educators had reported to school on the first day without any challenges.