DA to Approach High Court to Order School to Open Fully
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it wants school to open fully and intends to approach the courts.
The party said government’s one metre distance policy means that most schools are forced to operate on a rotational basis where each pupil only attends school 50% of the time.
DA leader John Steenhuizen said the policy is irrational.
“There is no justification for continuing with rotational schooling. The purpose of the policy was to enable one meter social distancing in classrooms, to thereby take pressure off the health system by slowing the spread of the virus. Yet, the health system has not been under pressure from the virus during the fourth wave.”
Steenhuizen said, the government has failed to justify its decision.
“Without a rational justification, denying schoolchildren their constitutional right to education is a gross miscarriage of justice. The DA has therefore approached the High Court to compel schools to open fully and immediately.”
Rotational learning is continuing at some schools because of a lack of space and capacity to abide by COVID-19 protocols which includes social distancing.
