She says the department is of the view that when learners leave the school premises and go back to hostels, they do not practise any Covid-19 protocols. 

This comes after five schools, including Grey College, according to Tsiu, recorded more than 60 positive Covid-19 cases. 

Tsiu says both the departments of Health and Education are now monitoring the situation, and that nurses have been deployed to educate schools on the importance of non-pharmaceutical protocols.

"Our problem is that [the rise in infections] happened immediately when the schools reopened. The kids went home and most of them come from outside and even from within the province (Free State), because some come from Gauteng which is affected by the Delta [variant]. So, they came to the hostel, live with others coming from different places here in the Free State and they get infected. More than 60 of them got infected," Tsiu adds.

She has further urged pupils to practice social distancing, wear masks at all times and wash hands thoroughly with running water. 

On Saturday, OFM News reported that it's understood that six matriculants at Winburg Combined school are quarantining after testing positive for the virus.

Also, the provincial Department of Education spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, confirmed to OFM News that  39 learners - 28 learners of Dr Blok and 11 learners of Heide Primary, who share a hostel, tested positive.

OFM News