Article by: Dumisane Dube
The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) has suspended all contact sports in schools with immediate effect.
Basic Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga says contact sports events in schools have been recorded as one of the contributing factors of the rise in Covid-19 cases across the country.
Mhlanga said, despite following the protocols as guided by the Directions on extramural activities and Standard Operating Procedure on the prevention, containment and management of COVID-19 in schools, contact sports events still contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
“Following the school sports activities related COVID-19 outbreaks in Gauteng and the general rise of cases in communities across the country, the Outbreak Response Team (ORT) said that the risk was high when engaged in close-contact sports, especially with people who did not live together,” said Mhlanga.
According to CEM the department will continue to monitor the situation.
“In this regard, all sporting activities have been suspended with immediate effect until the cluster’s outbreak is subsequently over with no further cases reported including the preparatory school sport,” added Mhlanga
CEM also stated that non-contact sport training can continue, provided that all non-pharmaceutical interventions are adhered to.
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