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The Executive Mayor, Cllr John Mpe officially opened the walk-in Thermo sensor at Myngenoegen English Private School (MEPS) in Polokwane on 02 June 2020. The school displayed its readiness for taking learning ahead amid the Level 3 Lockdown. Executive Mayor expressed his gratitude to the school for investing in the safety of learners. The Thermo sensor is a walk through metal detector with body temperature detection. The school has virtual screen which checks if a person is wearing a face mask. If there is non-compliance, the system sends signals to the office. The walk-in Thermo sensor can quickly scan about 50 people in few minutes saving time on the screening process.
The reopening of schools came after the Minister of Education Angie Motshekga announced that schools should resume but under strict standard operating procedures. The reopening follows a three-tier approach to be adhered by the institutions including preparatory readiness, a curriculum recovery framework and a list of Standard Operating Procedures. For pupils to return, schools need to:
1. – See the return of School Management Teams and teachers to oversee the school’s state of readiness
2. – Sanitize all classrooms and facilities which has to be completed daily as part of the Standard Operating Procedures
3. – Equip all school staff with personal protective equipment (PPE)
4. – Recondition classrooms to facilitate social distancing and limit movement
5. – Procure a sufficient number of facemasks to be worn at all times by all learners and staff
6. – Ensure access to running water and hand sanitisation stations
7. – Ensure COVID-19 screening systems are in place
In addition to the state of preparedness, schools which are deemed fit to reopen needed to make drastic changes to the daily educational routine. Motshekga outlined the Standard Operating Procedures which schools would need to follow include:
· Physical distances in classrooms, includes not more than 2 learners sharing desks;
· No hugging or handshaking
· Direct contact must be avoided
· Cloth masks to be worn by learners and teachers at all times
· No mass public events. All sports matches, choral practices and festivals, eisteddfods are not permitted
· Extra classes should be arranged in small groups that maintain social distancing
· Sanitize classrooms prior to the start of school day
· Sanitize hands on entering of classrooms
· Limit movement of learners between classes
· No clustering of desks in classrooms
In addition, school staff will be provided with health and safety orientation sessions on how to help fight COVID-19 in classrooms.
