President Hage Geingob said parents will have to decide whether to send their children to school or not when he announced the slackening of the Covid-19 regulations Monday.
The relaxation of the regulations comes after the country announced 8 new cases, the second such high figure in as many as two days.
Namibia now has 63 cases of Covid-19, with the majority coming from Erongo Region.
Addressing the nation from State House Monday, Geingob said he understands the anxiety about the decision to send children to school during a time of great uncertainty.
He, however, said that according to the evidence provided, the consequences of not resuming learning following a long disruption to the academic calendar can have lasting and undesirable consequences on the academic progression of our children.
“I also emphasize that the return of learners to class is voluntary. Parents may decide to keep their children home
and assume responsibility for homeschooling.
“Our schools should therefore not employ coercive or punitive measures against parents who decide not to initially resume face-to-face instruction,” he said, adding that schools across the Erongo region that meet the ‘COVID-19 Compliance Standards’ may resume face-to-face instruction for Grade 11 and 12.
Geingob’s announcement ends the confusion regarding the reopening of the schools and gives a clear picture as to how the education ministry will proceed.
As of Monday, Grade 11 and 12 were supposed to have started face-to-face classes but the education minister Anna Nghipondoka had announced that they were suspending the decision pending Geingob’s press conference Monday.
According to Geingob, the resumption of Pre-Primary (Grades Zero to 3) is hereby deferred for a period of two-weeks across all 14 regions, until Monday 06 July 2020.
‘The government’s risk mitigation strategy for the resumption of face-to-face schooling is consistent with guidelines prescribed by the World Health Organisation. In the event, a pupil or staff member presents COVID-19 related
symptoms or tests positive, the school will be suspended for a period of 14-days and traced contacts will be placed under quarantine,” he added.
The president further said that for Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis Local Authority Areas, the resumption of Grades 11, 12, and Pre-Primary (Grades Zero to 3) remains suspended for the next 14 days.
“Face-to-face instruction will be determined pending observation of the unfolding situation in those towns,” he said.
