South Africa’s schools will re-open on June 1, even though many are not equipped to do so without high risk of new Covid-19 infections.

Under pressure, to be get back to ‘normal’ – or at least some version of ‘new normal’ – the Covid task team under President Cyril Ramaphosa has been in discussions with educators, public health officials and other parties for weeks on the schools re-opening issue.

Instead, his ministers and advisors are saying that schools must re-open in a stepped manner, beginning with the last years of junior and high schools.

Other grades will gradually then return to schools, while in universities lectures and other in-person education will resume, also in a stepped manner.

Basic Education minister Motshekga confirmed late Monday that Grade 7 (last year of junior school) and Grade 12 pupils (last year of high school) would be returning to school on June 1, while starter grades will return on July 8.