Angie Motshekga visits school as pupils return

It was all systems go for most Gauteng schools on Monday morning.

Just after 7am, streets were already full of pupils in a variety of uniforms making their way to school.

Shortly before 8am, pupils wearing masks had formed queues outside their schools on demarcated lines to observe social distance as they waited to be sanitised and screened. Teachers were out in full force trying to monitor the pupils while concerned parents watched.

Schools have been closed since the end of March to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Starting their day, grade 12 pupils at Phulong Secondary School in KwaThema, Ekurhuleni, were welcomed by basic education minister Angie Motshekga.

SowetanLIVE reported that she gave them words of encouragement while she visited their classrooms, which had visible lines for pupils to observe social distancing.

“Thank you my children for coming. This is for you and not anybody else. You have been to school for 12 years now. This is for you to pass and go to the next level. Please respect the guidelines,” she said.

While Motshekga completed her visit around the school, she noticed that one tap was not dispensing water.

She was told taps which were installed on Sunday were stolen overnight.

Grade 12 pupil Nontlakanipho Shabangu, 18, said she was scared to be back at school.

“We are not used to this and we don't know what to expect. It was sad to greet my friend who I have not seen for four months by greeting her with my elbow, but I understand we need to keep safe,” she said.

Sonto Mosamo, a school inspector at Phulong Secondary, said on Monday pupils would concentrate on orientation.

“All the teachers are ready to welcome the pupils. Each pupil will receive soap and a mask,” she said.

Pupils spent most of their morning waiting to go through the process of screening and sanitising outside the school's entrance.