Minister of the Department of Basic Education Angie Motshekga held a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday.

"After careful consideration of all the reports CEM took a decision that only Grade 6, Grade 11 and Grade R will return to school on Monday, 06th July 2020," the council said in a statement.

Other grades will be phased during the month of July.

“We will adjust the reopening phases based on the risk-adjusted strategy which is a considered attempt to balance our approach to School Reopening taking into account all factors that affect the work we do. We are guided in this by an observation of the rising numbers of community transmissions throughout the country,” said Motshekga.

Before the amendments, these were grades expected back on 6 July, according to government's gazette on reopening of schools:

• Early Childhood Development (ECD);
• Grade 1
• Grade 2
• Grade 3
• Grade 6
• Grade 10
• Grade 11
• School of Skills: Years 2 and 3
• Schools for Learners with Severe Intellectual Disabilities (SID): Grades R, 1, 2, 3 and 6; and
• Special Care Centres for Learners with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disabilities  (LSPID): Years 1-3

The last phase of grades is expected back on 3 August

• Grade 4
• Grade 5
• Grade 8
• Grade 9
• School of Skills: Year 1; and
• Schools for Learners with Severe Intellectual Disabilities  (SID): Grades 4 and 5

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