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Covid-19: Two top Gauteng schools record 17 positive cases

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  • Both St John's College and Krugersdorp High School have been affected by Covid-19.
  • The two schools recorded a combined 17 positive cases of Covid-19.
  • St. John's recorded six positive cases, and Krugersdorp 11 cases.

Two top-performing Gauteng high schools have been hit by Covid-19, barely two weeks after reopening for the second term.

The two schools are situated in Houghton and Krugersdorp, respectively.

St John's College identified six positive cases, while Krugersdorp High School had 11 positive cases. 

Krugersdorp High School will reopen on Monday. St John's College moved three grades online as a response to the Covid-19 cases. All pupils will be back in school on Monday. 

Stuart West,  St John's executive headmaster, said: "St John’s College is not closed. We have seven senior students, one primary school student and one staff member who have tested positive in the past week. St John’s College conducted all the contact tracing and supervised the additional close contacts who were subsequently tested. All these further tests returned a negative result." 

"All grades from Grade 000 to Grade 10 are currently attending classes at school, and our Grade 11 and 12 and Sixth Form (A Level) students, who have been in quarantine for the past week while engaging in online learning, will return to school on Monday." 

Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona admitted there was miscommunication and the private school was not closed. 

In a joint statement, released by both the Gauteng education and health departments, it said St John's College and Krugersdorp High School jointly registered 17 positive cases of Covid-19.

The departments initially reported: "These cases have been immediately requested to go into self-isolation. The temporary closure of these schools will be from 12 May to 17 May 2021".

The first case at Krugersdorp High was reported to be that of a pupil returning from school holidays.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, the school principal, Ivan Bailey, said the pupil tested positive two days after schools reopened.

Bailey said the pupil was dropped at the school on 2 May by her parent, and tested positive the following day.

By 6 May, the school had four positive cases. 

READ: 10 teachers from a North West school test positive for Covid-19

Bailey said the school then communicated with the health and education departments regarding the matter. 

Pupils and teachers, who had been in contact with the pupil, were tested and some are in quarantine.

Bailey promised the school had made plans to continue teaching and learning, but all sporting activities had been cancelled.

The two departments said their teams are conducting contact tracing and tracking at schools across Gauteng. 

This ensures that we are kept abreast of the occurrence of Covid-19 cases. We can confirm that a decision has been made, in consultation with the department of health, district directors and education management, to suspend academic activities in both schools to manage Covid-19 cases in each school.


Editor's note: The education department initially reported that both schools would be closed until Monday. It has since reported there was miscommunication on this aspect.



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