South Africa
Education wants stationery to be essential items during #SAlockdown─── 14:00 Sat, 11 Apr 2020
The Basic Education Department says it's considering appeals to make stationery essential items to help learners at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown period.
Pupils will now miss even more of the second term after President Cyril Ramaphosa extended the lockdown to the end of April in a ramped-up attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
There are currently 2003 known COVID-19 infections in South Africa and 24 fatalities amid reports school holidays may be scrapped to recover lost time.
The department's spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga says it's encouraging to hear parents have concerns about access to stationery during this period.
“When that type of a need arises we need to respond positively... We'll be taking up that matter.”
