South Africa Basic Education is making proper arrangements to open South African schools, a report has revealed.

New rules are being mapped out in this regard especially in line with the recommendations of the Department of Health. The Health Department will also set out standard for classroom seating to maintain a social distance among learner’s during class interaction/learning.

Among the proposed new rules, learners will have to keep a distance of 1.5m between chairs. What this means is that no learners will be allowed to share a desk during and after class learning.

On the part of the teachers: Teachers are expected to carry out more responsibility and ensure that all rules are strictly followed by learner’s.

They will also have to maintain a social distance, avoid hugging, shaking hands and having direct contact. This is going to be a tough nut to crack, as many schools in the country are already overcrowded.

While it might be easy to maintain a social distance in classroom cause a teacher is there, who will ensure that the social distance is maintained after school or during break and lunch. This will still pose some challenges.

The issue of sanitizers is still a imperative task, if all classes can have hand sanitizers this will help. It will be wisdom therefore for the department of basic education to supply sanitizers under strict control to schools.

In summary, the schools will reopen in phases, firstly it will be the grade 7 and matrix. The other grades will also be reopened in phases.