This is according to the Free State Education MEC, Tate Makgoe, who on his Twitter account announced the school’s closure till 6 September as a result. Makgoe says the learners will return to school in a staggered format, with grades 6 and 7 retuning first on the aforementioned date, followed by grades 4 and 5 a day after that and so forth. The announcement comes in the wake of the death of a grade 8 learner at Kgotso Taole Secondary School in Botshabelo last weekend from Covid-19 related complications.

The deceased, Mojalefa Thipane, was found to have tested positive for Covid-19 after an autopsy was carried out and it was ruled the deadly virus was the cause of death. Following this revelation the Education Department closed down the school temporarily. Free State Health spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, said a total of 34 kids died of Covid-related complications. He said 9 deaths were registered amongst children in 2020, while the death toll now stands at 25 for 2021. 

In May 2021, a learner from the Lephola Secondary School in Welkom died from Covid-19 related complications following a reported outbreak at the school. Education Department spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, said at the time that the surge in coronavirus cases in Free State schools is a reflection of what is happening in communities in the province.

“These cases are imported from the communities into schools. So we want to reiterate our call to members of the communities, including learners, teachers and non-teaching staff, to religiously observe the non-pharmaceutical regulations, which includes wearing masks, sanitising, and avoiding crowded places. By doing so we believe we can win the war against this scourge,” stressed Ndaba.

OFM News