Hon Chair, we are very confident that we are taking the correct decision. We have made a case. We have explained why we have taken decisions to send children to school. In terms of social distancing, that is why we are phasing in because we do not have adequate capacity to accommodate all learners at the same time. That is why we are phasing. We are quite confident that we will be able to space.
The other two that was given to us that we have to make sure that learners or everybody must wear a musk that we have also put in place. That we can clean surfaces at all times, that children have wiped hands but to also use sanitisers, we have put that in place. We are quite confident that in terms of the guidance that not only are we getting from our own Department of Health but also experts in the area hon Shaik-Emam are saying there is no reason why we must keep children at home.
We have also said because we are dealing with the very difficult environment where people are rightfully anxious, for the first time we are allowing - sometimes not in the law saying to parents who are anxious, no one is forcing anything down their throats. They must keep their children at home. There is no one who says bring your child to school if you are anxious. We are saying we understand that you are anxious. On the other we are your anxiety should not determine the future of other children whose parents do want them to go to school.
We are supporting you to keep your child at home, we are not forcing anything down your throat, but we are saying do not stand in the way of the children and the parents who want to come to school. Those are the parents I am speaking to. You are speaking to the parents who feel that they are being forced, advise them by saying they must keep them from school because the parents that I am speaking of and the children I am speaking to also want to come back to school. We know schools are good for children.
They are playing on the streets now, they are fine. It cannot be cold when they go to school and it is warm when they are home. It cannot be safe when they are playing in the streets and it becomes extremely unsafe when they come to schools.