ORIENTATION GUIDELINE FOR SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS MAY

ORIENTATION GUIDELINE FOR SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS MAY 2020

PRESENTATION OUTLINE 1. 2. 3. Background Introduction Purpose of the guide 4. Facts about COVID-19 5. The roles of schools in responding to COVID-19 5. 1 Assisting SGBs to understand how to prevent the transmission of COVID -19 5. 2 How SGBs to support the school and SMT on prevention of COVID- 19 transmission 5. 3. The role of SGBs in ensuring the safety of the school premises, educators and learners. 5. 4 Establishing SGB sub-committee on Health, Safety and COVID-19 5. 5 Adapt school policies where appropriate to make Regulations and Guidelines applicable to your school 5. 6 COVID 19 policy can include stigmatisation 5. 7 Amend the budget in line with COVID 19 needs 5. 8 Ensure payment of SGB employed teachers by UIF 6. Summary of roles for parents and SGBs 7. Conclusion 2

BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND 31 December 2019 WHO China Country Office cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province (China) 07 January 2020, the causative pathogen was identified as a novel coronavirus (2019 -n. Co. V) 05 March 2020 first COVID-19 Case confirmed in RSA 16 March 11 March 2020 State 2020 of Disaster Pandemic declared by President the WHO Ramaphosa 18 March 2020 Minister of Basic Education announced the closure of schools

COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE WORLD 25 APRIL TO 03 MAY 2020

• • Countries across the world including South Africa, have taken drastic measures to curb the spread of the virus and reduce the extent to which infections are increasing. Some of these measures included: – promotion of healthy hygienic practices; – social distancing (e. g. prohibiting gatherings in every sphere of the life of people that are more than 100 in number); – closing of boarders and prohibiting non-citizens to enter the country; – screening and testing of citizens coming back home from other parts of the world; – promoting self-isolation and quarantining of those who present with symptoms. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on 23 April 2020 the easing of lockdown restrictions form 01 May 2020. To balance the need for resuming economic activity with the imperative to contain the virus and save lives, the President announced a new approach where the measures being implemented are determined by the direction the pandemic is taking in the country (see summary of alert levels).

SUMMARY OF ALERT LEVELS ALERT LEVEL 5 ALERT LEVEL 4 ALERT LEVEL 3 ALERT LEVEL 2 ALERT LEVEL 1 Drastic Extreme Restrictions on Physical measures to precautions to many distancing and contain the limit activities, restrictions on spread of the community including at leisure and virus and save transmission workplaces social activities lives. and outbreaks, and socially, to to prevent a (Full while allowing address a high resurgence of lockdown) some activity risk of the virus to resume transmission Most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times. Population prepared for an increase in alert levels if necessary OBJECTIVE

PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE

To provide SGBs with information on COVID-19: a) Special arrangements at school b) Assist SGBs to understand how to prevent the transmission of COVID -19 within the school premises, classroom and surrounding communities c) How the SGBs will support the school and SMT on the above measures d) How the SGBs will ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are taken care of e) The role of SGBs in ensuring the safety of the school premises, learners and educators and non-educators

FACTS ABOUT COVID-19 What is COVID-19? • It  s  disease aused by a new strain of coronavirus. ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. • It is a new virus linked to the same family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and some types of common cold.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19? • Can include fever, cough and shortness of breath • In more severe cases, infection cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties • These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold • testing is required to confirm if someone has COVID-19

How does COVID-19 spread • Through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person • From and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus • Touching their face (e. g. mouth, eyes, and nose

Who is ost at risk? •  lder people and • People with chronic medical conditions,  uch as diabetes and heart disease • We know it is possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus

What is the treatment for COVID-19? • There is no currently available vaccine for COVID-19 • There are several clinical trials that are being conducted

How can the spread of COVID-19 be slowed down or prevented? • Staying home when sick; • Covering the mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissue immediately; • Washing hands often with soap and water; • Cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects; and • Practicing social distancing

THE ROLES OF SCHOOLS IN RESPONDING TO COVID-19 • Assisting SGBs to understand how prevent the transmission of COVID -19 • How to support the school and SMT on prevention of COVID 19 transmission • The role of SGBs in ensuring the safety of the school premises, educators and learners. • Establishing SGB sub-committee on Health, Safety and COVID-19 • Adapt school policies where appropriate to make Regulations and Guidelines applicable to your school • Stigmatisation • Amend the budget in line with COVID 19 needs • Ensure payment of SGB employed teachers by UIF • Conclusion

How to support the school and SMT on prevention of COVID 19 transmission SGBs to support the school and SMT as parents by doing the following: • Monitor your child’s health and keep them home from school if they are ill. • Teach and model good hygiene practices for your children Wash your hands with soap and running water frequently. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water, if hands are visibly dirty. Ensure that safe drinking water is available and toilets or latrines are clean and available at home Ensure waste is safely collected, stored and disposed. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, and nose.

Continued…… • Encourage your children to ask questions and express their feelings with you and their teachers. • Remember that your child may have different reactions to stress; be patient and understanding. • Prevent stigma by using facts and reminding learners to be considerate with one another. • Coordinate with the school to receive information and ask how you can support school safety efforts (through parent-teacher committees, etc. )

Continued……

The role of SGBs in ensuring the safety of the school premises, educators and learners. • Ensuring a safe and harmonious environment which is conducive to learning. • Standard Operating Procedure and • Display Flow diagram from the guide – page 7

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Flow Diagram

Establishing SGB sub-committee on Health, Safety and COVID-19 • The establishment of committees is the responsibility of the SGB as stipulated in SASA 84. 1996. 30: 1 (a). We recommend that the SGB: I. Establish Health and Safety committee II. Establish COVID – 19 committee

Adapt school policies where appropriate to make Regulations and Guidelines applicable to your school • School policies may also be dictated by situations that present themselves at schools e. g. the present COVID 19 pandemic. • Consider suspending all contracts for the hire and use of school facilities; and • Consider suspending the selling of food by vendors at the school;

COVID 19 policy can include stigmatisation The current COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviours against people of certain ethnic backgrounds as well as anyone perceived to have been in contact with the virus. Stigma can: • Drive people to hide the illness to avoid discrimination. • Prevent people from seeking health care immediately. • Discourage them from adopting healthy behaviours.

Develop a policy to deal with stigmatisation

Amend the budget in line with COVID 19 needs • Based on the COVID 19 pandemic, SGBs need to amend the school budget to cater for the new needs as outlined by the different committees to deal with COVID- 19, the “NEW NORMAL”. • ”. Line items which were budgeted for sports, coral music, and other mass participation activities should be redirected to support health related needs,

Ensure payment of SGB employed teachers by UIF • According to the Department of Labour, the employer must apply for UIF on behalf of the employee so that payment is done speedily. • The SGB must together with the principal meet and discuss how to apply to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) so that SGB employed educators are paid

CONCLUSION • Summary of the presentation • Clarity seeking questions • See Annexures