The department of basic education has discouraged schools from holding matric balls, saying they are “time consuming”.
This comes as some schools steam ahead with plans to hold matric farewells despite experts warning of a second wave of Covid-19 infections.
According to the health department’s Covid-19 update for October 10, 2,364 new cases were identified and 126 deaths recorded.
The glitzy event – synonymous with the prom in the US – is the social highlight of the school calendar, with parents forking out thousands on matric dance dresses and suits and on hiring stretch limos, vintage cars and even helicopters.
Basic education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “The time could be better used for learning and assisting learners to revise and prepare for exams.”
Asked whether the department would be granting permission to schools to hold matric farewell parties, he said: “Provinces will determine what is best for schools under the circumstances. Schools must request [permission] through the district offices.”
The annual matric dance will take place, subject to there not being a second wave of the pandemic.
— Kieran Stear, headmistress, Riebeek College Girls’ High
But Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond informed schools requesting to hold matric dances to wait for “new directions” from the national department.
While most schools have canned the matric dance for 2020, Riebeek College Girls’ High in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape and Oakhill School in Knysna in the Western Cape are among those going ahead with plans to hold them.
In letters dated September 23 and October 8, Kieran Stear, the headmistress of Riebeek College Girls’ High, outside Port Elizabeth, informed parents that the matric dance would be held on December 11 after the last paper is written.
In her September letter she wrote: “The annual matric dance will take place, subject to there not being a second wave of the pandemic, and will be held at Arabest [a wedding and functions venue]. Further information regarding this glittering occasion will be communicated to parents closer to the date.”
A representative of Arabest confirmed that the venue had been booked before the lockdown.
Stear told Sunday Times Daily: “Our school has followed all Covid regulations rigidly. Regardless of the lockdown level, we have not eased our expectations to ensure the safety of our learners.
“We will hopefully be having a function after the academic year is over and the matrics have written their very last exam if we are in this present lockdown level. We have confirmed that we will be at less than 50% of the venue's capacity, thus meeting the requirements gazetted by the government.”
She said the school would continue to have “a cautionary approach”.
“Our girls' health and safety are always exceptionally important to us. Their emotional well-being is also important, hence our decision to do everything possible to give them an event to look forward to.”
Wayne Purchase, the head of college at Oakhill School, told parents in a letter dated September 28 that the annual Celebration of Excellence, Valediction and matric dance would be held at the end of November.
“These are wonderful experiences for our current matrics to look forward to post their final exams.”
In an e-mailed response, Purchase told Sunday Times Daily that the school decided to host the matric dinner at the end of November “instead of its initial date earlier in the year”.
“Our 43 matrics are being hosted at a restaurant with the standard legislated Covid-19 procedures and protocols being maintained. If anything had to change in the interim in terms of legislation, we would need to re-evaluate if the event would go ahead.”
He said their matrics and their parents were aware of “this caveat”.
Blouberg International School in Cape Town will be holding a matric farewell dinner and the “Year 12 students are extremely excited to dress up for the occasion”, according to a letter from Julian Harrison, the head of academics for the high school.
Hammond said any decision on whether schools can or can’t hold the matric dance “will be guided by the directions”.
“The department is guided by directions from the national department during the state of national disaster. We have raised the issue with the DBE [department of basic education] in meetings recently and we believe they are being considered.”
* This article has been updated since its initial publication to add comment from Kieran Stear, the headmistress of Riebeek College Girls’ High.
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