Most pupils returned to full-time daily attendance on Monday, but some provinces were still scrambling to procure mobile classrooms to ease overcrowding.
This follows the green light given by cabinet recently for all schools to end controversial rotational schooling.
Many so-called quintile 1 to 3 schools (the poorest) have been conducting rotational learning since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, forcing pupils to attend class two or or three times a week, or even in alternate weeks.
Barney Mthembu, head of the education department in KwaZulu-Natal, said they had ordered 244 mobile classrooms after identifying schools that needed them.
“Manufacturers have a backlog because many schools need mobile classrooms, but we have already provided 190 and the balance are being manufactured,” he said.
Free State education department spokesperson Howard Ndaba said their five districts needed 477 mobile classrooms. He said psychosocial support services would be provided to pupils “who might display signs of fear and anxiety”.
“All schools have been linked to local clinics to help deal with Covid-19 outbreaks,” he said.
Tsoarelo Malakoane, head of the education department in the Free State, said any activity “that seeks to take teachers out of the classroom must be summarily suspended for two weeks” so the return of pupils is not compromised.
Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that three schools, including one damaged by fire and two that were vandalised, would not be able to accommodate all pupils.
“In the high schools, the Grade 8 learners will be rotating until the damages are addressed,” she said.
Apart from this, all schools reopened fully on Monday, she added.
“Additional funding will be made available to selected schools to procure mobile classrooms once we have a better picture of the challenges some schools may be facing.”
Elias Malindi, spokesperson for North West education, said none of their schools were conducting rotational learning any more.
“The North West is pleased with the full attendance of learners in schools following the minister’s call for all learners to be back.”
The Gauteng education department said it would only be able to respond by Tuesday, while Northern Cape education department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said they were waiting for district offices to compile reports.
Limpopo education department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said their education MEC, Polly Boshielo, monitored attendance of pupils at Harry Oppenheimer Agricultural High School outside Mokopane and Phoffu Primary School in Polokwane.
“The general observation is that learners are back in school and officials have been deployed to monitor their return,” said Chuene.
But Ben Machipi, general secretary of the Professional Educators’ Union (PEU), said he was informed that Grade 9 pupils at the overcrowded Mmaba Secondary in Mopani East could not be accommodated because the department had provided mobile classrooms, but not desks.
Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa), said while overcrowding was a challenge, it was “worrisome” that there was still a shortage of (personal protective equipment, including sanitiser.
“But by and large I think there’s a euphoria about returning. Teachers are concerned about the sheer numbers of people being back, but we are saying: ‘Don’t be fearful, get vaccinated’.”
George Motsoeneng, acting president of the South African Principals’ Association, said the general picture indicated the majority of schools welcomed all pupils. “It is also a fact that some of our schools are still faced with infrastructure challenges, which continue to be handled differently by the respective provinces.”
Jaco Deacon, CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools, said no major issues were mentioned by its members.
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