'Close if you have to', government tells schools amid coronavirus outbreak
12 March 2020
Schools have been advised to prepare for possible closures to stop the spread of the coronavirus should staff or pupils be infected.
The Basic Education Department has issued a circular to all heads of department (HODs), directors, school governing bodies (SGBs) and teacher unions outlining guidelines on how schools should react to the coronavirus.
This is the first sign that the government is truly fearful of an outbreak among schools, after it previously called for calm and said there was no reason to shut down schools and universities, or warn against international travel.
The circular was released by the department on Thursday and comes in the wake of the health ministry confirming the number of patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus.