Khomas schools to start at 07:30
Directive to schools regarding operations during the 2021 winter season
Mariselle Stofberg -In June 2018 the ministry of education, arts and culture directed all schools in the country to commence actual teaching no earlier than 07:30 and no later than 08:30 during winter.
This is because the sun rises later in winter, which means that some learners were walking to school in the dark.
It is against this background that the Khomas Education Directorate has again directed primary, junior secondary, senior secondary and special schools, both private and public, to adjust their staring times to 07:30.
Schools with the platoon system should commence with teaching for the second group at 12:30 and finish teaching no later than 16:30 in the afternoons.
Platoon systems are when schools divide their teachers and learners into groups to adhere to Covid-19 regulations, with the first group commencing with teaching early in the morning, and the second group in the afternoon.
“Internal arrangements should be made in order to accommodate the learners in the afternoon without compromising the quality of education. The main objective of the directorate remains the safety and protection of all learners,” said Paulus Lewin, the acting director of education in the Khomas Region.
“Schools must take note that this is a directive from the minister and in the event that they start earlier than the agreed national and regional starting time without written approval from the directorate, such schools will have to take full responsibility for any eventuality or incident that will be directly linked to the deviation from this direction,” he added.
“We never want our schools to risk the lives of learners, and many of these learners either have to walk to school, or make use of public transport. Extending the starting time allows them to get to school safely,” Lewin said.
This is because the sun rises later in winter, which means that some learners were walking to school in the dark.
It is against this background that the Khomas Education Directorate has again directed primary, junior secondary, senior secondary and special schools, both private and public, to adjust their staring times to 07:30.
Schools with the platoon system should commence with teaching for the second group at 12:30 and finish teaching no later than 16:30 in the afternoons.
Platoon systems are when schools divide their teachers and learners into groups to adhere to Covid-19 regulations, with the first group commencing with teaching early in the morning, and the second group in the afternoon.
“Internal arrangements should be made in order to accommodate the learners in the afternoon without compromising the quality of education. The main objective of the directorate remains the safety and protection of all learners,” said Paulus Lewin, the acting director of education in the Khomas Region.
“Schools must take note that this is a directive from the minister and in the event that they start earlier than the agreed national and regional starting time without written approval from the directorate, such schools will have to take full responsibility for any eventuality or incident that will be directly linked to the deviation from this direction,” he added.
“We never want our schools to risk the lives of learners, and many of these learners either have to walk to school, or make use of public transport. Extending the starting time allows them to get to school safely,” Lewin said.
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