Schools leave no pew unturned in their bid to accommodate pupils

Several primary schools in SA are using dining halls and churches to accommodate pupils, while simultaneously complying with the 1m social distancing requirement.

Among these is Klein Mier, about 25km from the Namibian border and 40km from the Botswana border.

The school’s principal, Anthony Skippers, said the 33 pupils from grades 1 to 3, who were normally taught in one classroom through multigrade teaching, were now split into two classes.

The 22 pupils in grades 1 and 2 are now being accommodated in a church hall, while the 11 Grade 3 pupils are occupying a classroom.

“We had to do this so we could comply with the 1m social distancing requirement. So far it’s working well.”

But pupils have to remove furniture from the hall on Wednesdays and Thursdays to accommodate evening church services.

At the Friersdale Intermediate School, about 75km from Upington in the Northern Cape, the 33 Grade 6 pupils, who have been receiving lessons in a hall in the Roman Catholic Church on the school property since August 2, will move back to a classroom on Monday.

The principal, Francois de Klerk, said the move was made possible after a donor from the Netherlands pledged R38,000 for the purchase of 80 single desks.

“We would not have been able to maintain 1m social distancing in the classroom if we did not get the single desks.”

We had to do this so we could comply with the 1m social distancing requirement. So far it’s working well.

—  Klein Mier principal Anthony Skippers

Northern Cape education department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe confirmed that Laerskool Sentraal Kakamas in the ZF Mgcawu district was also using a church building, while Saambou Primary School and Hoërskool Duineveld were using school halls.

Meanwhile, at Namanyane Primary School in Thaba Nchu in the Free State, the 46 Grade 4 pupils are being accommodated in the dining hall, which was normally used during meal times by all pupils at the school.

A member of the governing body said food handlers were now forced to dish meals out to pupils in the classrooms.

“With the food handlers now going to each classroom, it’s taking 30 minutes more to feed all the children.”

The governing body member said they paid R21,000 to buy single desks for the 65 Grade 5 pupils last week so they could be accommodated in a mobile classroom which was previously used as a staffroom by teachers.

“The mobile classroom is bigger than the normal classroom and we were able to accommodate all the Grade 5 pupils,” the member said.

Free State education department spokesperson Howard Ndaba said no schools in the province were using church halls.

Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said they were only aware of one school in Eden using a church hall that was directly opposite the school.

She said the use of church or community halls was not a viable option for all schools as the owners of such premises also had to comply with cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) regulations and capacity requirements.

“The premises need to be cleaned according to education protocols, which would require staff from the school to clean the premises on a daily basis and therefore the distance from school/transport is a factor, as well as staff.”

She said splitting a class to accommodate the 1m rule meant an additional teacher as well as furniture were required.

“Security measures at the centre or church would also need to be considered.”

Security measures at the centre or church would also need to be considered.

—  Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond

Changes to the 1m rule, with the risk adjusted strategy, would assist in accommodating more pupils at schools, Hammond said.

North West education spokesperson Elias Malindi said where schools were not able to accommodate all pupils because of space problems, those schools would continue with rotational timetables.

“No school is using communal facilities to maintain social distancing.”

Limpopo education department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said the head of department’s office was yet to receive consolidated reports from districts on the number of primary schools using churches, community halls and other facilities to accommodate pupils to comply with the social distancing requirements.

Ben Machipi, general secretary of the Professional Educators’ Union (PEU), said during a meeting with the basic education department on Saturday teacher unions were informed that it had never been the department’s intention to reduce the 1m physical distancing requirement to 0.5m.

This despite basic education minister Angie Motshekga’s proposal to reduce it being widely quoted in the media.

“The DBE [department of basic education] further made a commitment that teacher unions shall always be genuinely consulted if there is such a move or intention to further reduce the physical distancing,” Machipi said.​