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South Africa Closes Schools For a Month as Coronavirus Cases Surge

Anita Powell

   JOHANNESBURG - South Africa will close most public schools for a month
   and extend the 2020 school year into 2021, Cyril Ramaphosa said
   Thursday, as the nation's case burden of coronavirus grows past 400,000
   -- Africa's highest infection number.

   School's out for August, and the academic year will be extended through
   2021, South Africa's president announced late Thursday -- a move
   affecting more than 14 million children and the adults who care for
   them.

   The order covers government schools, not private schools, though many
   private schools are also closed. Most schools have been closed since
   the nation declared a state of disaster in March and imposed a strict
   nine-week lockdown. Public schools restarted for seventh and 12th grade
   students in June but many were forced to close again after 775 schools
   experienced viral cases.

   Ramaphosa explained his decision, which was supported by teachers'
   unions.

   "We have taken a deliberately cautious approach to keep schools closed
   during a period when the country is expected to experience its greatest
   increase in infections," said Ramaphosa. "... I am aware that this
   arrangement that I've just announced will disappoint many learners who
   want to be back at school and may cause inconvenience and difficulty
   for many families who need to make alternative child care arrangements.
   We ask you to do this because we believe it is important to ensure that
   schools do not become sites of transmission at a time when infections
   are rising fast."

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