More than 200 schools in the Eastern Cape remain closed after cases of Covid-19 were confirmed at those schools.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane, said 291 schools had been closed for sanitisation and since, while 91 schools have reopened.
Mabuyane said to contain and mitigate the spread of infections in provincial schools, the provincial Department of Education conducted Covid-19 orientation schools training for 44 776 teachers and 5040 principals of 5064 schools.
He said the department sent questionnaires to be filled by schools for the second phase of re-opening of schools and 3085 out of 5135 schools responded indicating that they were not ready for the re-opening of grades planned to go back to school on July 6.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that Grades R, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and 11, could return to school from July.
"The Provincial Coronavirus Command Council has resolved to engage national government to grant the province extension of two weeks to prepare all schools to be adequately ready to re-open schools in a manner that meets Covid-19 protocols," he said.
Mabuyane said the provincial Department of Education had transferred R165 million to schools for School Nutrition Programme.
He said out of a total of 5125 schools scheduled to be opened in the province for the first
phase of re-opening, only three schools were not yet opened because they were
awaiting delivery of clean water to fill up their recently delivered water tanks.
The premier said eight Mercedes Benz Sprinter busses had handed over to the education department for special needs schools. These busses were converted to suit the needs of the pupils.
"The provincial Department of Education provides busses on a 5-year rotation system to Special Schools. Learner transport remains a pressure point as learners in Special Schools in the Eastern Cape are transported over vast distances. These buses, which are parked outside this venue, will be delivered eight schools in the province," he said.
The schools are:
- King Ndlovuyezwe Special School
- Mount Fletcher Special School
- Sigcau Special School
- Vukuhambe Special School
- Amasango Special School
- Amasango Grahamstown
- Lingomsolethu Special School
- St Thomas Special School