Just one day after schools across the country reopened to pupils and teaches after being closed for two months due to the coronavirus lockdown, a Chatsworth high school has had to close its gates on Monday after a teacher-tested positive for Covid-19.
Parents of pupils at the Apollo Secondary school were told on Tuesday to keep their children at home as all teachers at the school were expected to be tested for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The teacher who had tested positive was not at school on Monday when it opened for matric pupils.
Apollo Secondary School Governing chairperson, R Hirchan in a letter to parents and the school community said that everything went well on the first day the school opened on Monday with all pupils conforming to the Covid-19 safety regulations and social distancing.
“Unfortunately one of the educators (who DID NOT report to school today [Monday]) has tested positive for Covid-19,” he said. The said educator was in school till Thursday, when she fell ill at home in the evening. On reporting to school last week, the educator was mostly confined to the staff room, and admin areas which is thoroughly sanitized and cleaned on a daily basis,” he said.
Hirchan said the relevant officials in the education department and health had been notified and with guidance from the education department, all academic activity will be ceased at the school. He said all teachers at the school will be tested for Covid-19 on Tuesday and that the Department of Health will also be at the school and “will advise further”.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause and will keep you informed daily of the latest developments. Our thoughts and prayers are with this educator and her family at this trying time”.
Department of Education spokesman, Muzi Mahlambi said they had been made aware of the situation of the school. He said protocol around Covid-19 prevented his department from commenting on such incidents as it was a health matter. Schools across the country opened to Grade 12 and 7’s on Monday after two months of lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed at last count 1080 South Africans and infected nearly 60 000 people.
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Source: IOL
