Teachers at 2 more Western Cape schools test positive for Covid-19

Four schools in the Western Cape have recorded Covid-19 positive cases among returning teachers, Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has said.

On Tuesday, Schäfer confirmed this in an interview with eNCA.

They are The Hague Primary School in Delft, Parkvale Primary School in Valhalla Park, Kasselsvlei and Wallacedene Primary School. 

"It seems that they [the teachers] came to school with the infection," Schäfer said in the interview with eNCA. "... Not that they picked it up at school." 

News24 reported earlier this week on the cases at The Hague and Parkvale primaries.

READ: Covid-19: Another school in Cape Town hit by positive case during prep week 

Sinethemba High School in Delft was reportedly the fifth school to record a new case, according to IOL.

However, Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said it was waiting for confirmation if the school was affected.

The department said it could not confirm an IOL report on Wednesday that as many as 12 schools have been affected. 

Meanwhile, teachers returned to schools on Monday to prepare for the return of grades 7 and 12 and to receive personal protective equipment (PPE) from the education department.

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In KwaZulu-Natal, however, teachers did not return on Monday due to PPE delivery delays. They are expected to return on Thursday.

In a statement on Wednesday, Schäfer though said that she was impressed with the preparation of some other schools, after a surprise visit to three schools in the region.

They were Westlake Primary School, Hillwood Primary School, and Intsebenziswano Secondary School.

"I was extremely impressed with what I saw. Whilst there is anxiety, the teachers were there preparing the classrooms, preparing the school, ensuring that the desks and chairs are spaced 1.5m apart from each other," she said.

"At two of the schools the teachers were engaged in workshopping the documents that we had sent out as the Department, to ensure that they understood them, ask questions and think through how they were going to put them into operation. And I really want to thank the leadership of those schools for their proactive attitude, and for really stepping up and leading in a difficult environment."

- Compiled by Cebelihle Mthethwa