Schools will not be affected by the Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) led national shutdown, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, clarified that schools will close on Monday because of a Special School holiday.
This comes after the DBE with stakeholders finalised a calendar two years ago that determined March 20 would be a Special School Holiday in terms of the Policy on the determination of school calendar.
The Western Cape Department of Education has also confirmed that public schools will be closed on Monday, as it is a school holiday.
“We are aware of concerns that have been raised about the impact of the alleged national shutdown planned by the EFF on Monday. I can assure parents that public schools will be closed on Monday, 20 March 2023 – as it is a previously planned school holiday," he said.
Maynier said the school calendar was gazetted by the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshega a full year in advance, "and the school calendar for 2023 indicates that all public schools in the country have a special school holiday on March 20.”
With schools being protected, Mhlanga told IOL that schools were owned by the communities of which as the department they expect them to protect their infrastructure.
"If they don't then the children of those communities will suffer. It will be self harm," he added.
He stated that it was an impossible task to expect the law enforcement agencies to guard 25,0000 schools in addition to other public buildings.
Furthermore, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) said it was on high alert and prepared for the EFF planned protest action.
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