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Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)

Notices

Directions regarding the full time return of learners to schools and measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in the National Department of Basic Education, and Provincial Departments of Education, and all schools in the Republic of South Africa

9. General safety measures at schools, school hostels and offices for duration of the national state of disaster

 

(1) The Provincial Department of Education is responsible for the provisioning of personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 essentials for officials and learners in public schools and school hostels.

 

(2) To ensure the sufficient supply of cloth face masks, in compliance with regulation 34(3)(c) of the Regulations and face shields for learners with special educational needs, the principal of a public school, must request the Provincial Department of Education, in writing, through the district office, to procure cloth face masks and face shields as required by a public school.

 

(3) All schools and offices must develop a workplace plan containing the following information:
(a) What plans are in place for the employees at the workplace;
(b) what health protocols are in place to protect employees from COVID-19; and
(c) the details of the COVID-19 compliance officer.

 

(4) A school must send out a notice to all parents informing them that they must not send learners to school if the learners have any of the observable symptoms associated with COVID-19, including fever, cough, sore throat, redness of eyes and shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, body aches, loss of smell or loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue or weakness.

 

(5) Every school, school hostel and office must implement the health and safety measures as contained in these directions, the DBE Standard Operating Procedures and the DBE Guidelines.