The SAHRC has said in a statement issued on Monday that it has noted that a large number of schools across the country are still using rotational timetables and intend to do so in 2022 as well.
The SAHRC also pointed out that 86% of schools in the Western Cape applied for rotational timetables for the 2022 academic year.
They further stated that although it is a safety measure meant to protect against Covid-19 infection risk, rotational learning has negative long term consequences on learning outcomes for children.
The Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) directive compromises the ability of primary schools (where the very foundation of learning takes place) to return to normal teaching and learning, notwithstanding reduced transmission and virus acquisition rates among teachers and learners in these schools as the majority of educators have been vaccinated and due to the low acquisition risk profile of primary school learners.
The SAHRC added that it agrees with the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 that all primary schools should open at full capacity.
Additionally, the SAHRC also stated that it has written to the Minister of Basic Education, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to call for an urgent meeting to discuss the termination of the rotational timetable in primary schools.
“This would essentially mean that the COGTA Minister needs to amend her directive by deleting the one-meter social distancing requirement in respect of primary schools,” Said the SAHRC
They added that they will also discuss the return to normal schools for high schools, in view of the fact that the Department of Health has started the Covid-19 vaccine rollout for 12-year-olds.
