Schools in 3 Garden Route towns to close for 2 days due to foul weather

LOCAL NEWS - Public schools in George, Knysna and Oudtshoorn will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday 6 May as well as Thursday 7 May.

Following severe weather warnings for the Garden Route District, Western Cape Minister of Education David Maynier, issued a statement just before 14:00 today, saying the decision to close the schools was made in the interest of learner and teacher safety after extensive consultation with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

All public ordinary and special needs schools in the following specific circuits will be closed due to the severe rainfall warnings in these areas:

Circuits 3 and 8 (George)
Circuit 4 (Knysna)
Circuits 5 and 6 (Oudtshoorn)

A total of 125 public schools are affected - see the full list below.

Two private schools in George, Bramble Hill International School and Glenwood House School confirmed that they would also be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The affected public schools have received official notice of the closure and have been requested to communicate the closures to parents.

All other public schools in the Western Cape will be open unless approval has been granted for closure, which will be done on a case-by-case basis.

Maynier says the department's default position is always to keep schools open. "We only close schools in exceptional circumstances, but we are mindful of the severity of the warnings in place. We will continuously monitor and evaluate the situation to ensure that schools can reopen as soon as possible."

He says all schools are expected to open on Friday 8 May. "We will, however, evaluate the weather prediction for the end of the week to determine whether any individual school closures are necessary for the remainder of the week."

List of schools closed on 6 and 7 May

Eden and Central Karoo Circuit 3
1. Conville Primary School
2. Diepkloof VGK Primêre Skool
3. Eden Technical High School
4. George Voorbereidingskool
5. Hibernia VGK Primêre Skool
6. Hoekwil Laerskool
7. Jonga Street Secondary School
8. Karatara Laerskool
9. Klipdrift EK Primêre Skool
10. Lancewood Primêre Skool
11. M M Mateza Primary School
12. Olympia Skool
13. Outeniqua Primary School
14. Parkdene Primêre Skool (George)
15. Parkdene Sekondêr
16. Redlands Primêre Skool
17. Ruigtevlei Primêre Skool
18. Sedgefield Laerskool
19. Sedgefield Primêre Skool
20. Tabatha Primary School
21. Thembalethu Secondary School
22. Thembaletu Primary School
23. Touwsranten VGK Primêre Skool
24. Tyholora Primary School
25. Van Kervel Spesiale Skool
26. Waboomskraal VGK Primêre Skool
27. York High School

Eden and Central Karoo Circuit 4
1. Bracken Hill EK Primêre Skool
2. Chris Nissen Primary School
3. Concordia High School
4. Concordia Primêre Skool
5. Formosa Primêre Skool
6. Fraaisig Primary School
7. Harkerville EK Primêre Skool
8. Hornlee Primêre Skool
9. Knysna Hoërskool
10. Knysna Primary School
11. Knysna Satellite Office
12. Knysna Sekondêr
13. Kranshoek Primêre Skool
14. Kwanokuthula High School
15. Kwanokuthula Primary School
16. Murray High School
17. Percy Mdala High School
18. Phakamisani Primary School
19. Plettenberg Bay Primary School
20. Plettenbergbaai Sekondêr
21. Rheenendal Primêre Skool
22. Sunridge Primêre Skool
23. The Crags Primêre Skool
24. Thembelitsha Primary School
25. Wittedrif Primêre Skool
26. Wittedrift Hoërskool

Eden and Central Karoo Circuit 5
1. Aurial College
2. Bergsig Primêre Skool
3. Bridgton Sekondêr
4. Calitzdorp Hoërskool
5. Colridge Primêre Skool
6. De Jager VGK Primêre Skool
7. De Villiers Primêre Skool
8. Eljada-Kairos Skool
9. Excelsior VGK Primêre Skool
10. Fezekile Secondary School
11. Gamka-Oos Primêre Skool
12. Grootkraal UCC Primêre Skool
13. Kruisrivier-Wes UCC Primêre Skool
14. Langenhoven Gimnasium
15. Lategansvlei SSKV Primêre Skool
16. Laurus Primere Skool
17. Oudtshoorn Hoërskool
18. Oudtshoorn School of Skills
19. Rodewal UCC Primêre Skool
20. Rooiberg SSKV Primêre Skool
21. Volmoed Primêre Skool
22. Voorbedag Primêre Skool
23. Wesbank Laerskool
24. Zeekoegat VGK Primêre

Eden and Central Karoo Circuit 6
1. Avontuur LB Primêre Skool
2. Bongolethu Primary School
3. Britsevlakte NGK Primêre Skool
4. De Rust Primêre Skool
5. De Rust Sekondêr
6. Dirk Boshoff Primêre Skool
7. Dysselsdorp Primêre Skool
8. Dysselsdorp Sekondêr
9. Haarlem Sekondêre Skool
10. Mooi Uitsig Primêre Skool No.2
11. Morester Sekondêr
12. P.J. Badenhorst Primêre Skool
13. Protea Hoërskool
14. Rooiheuwel VGK Primêre Skool
15. Rooirivier VGK Primêre Skool
16. Sacred Heart RK Primêre Skool
17. Saturnus Primêre Skool
18. Scheeperskraal SSKV Primêre Skool
19. St. Konrad RK Primêre Skool
20. Uniondale Hoërskool
21. Van Reede Laerskool
22. Vlakteplaas UCC Primêre

Eden and Central Karoo Circuit 8
1. Blanco Laerskool
2. Carpe Diem Skool
3. Dellville Park Primary School
4. Denneoord Laerskool
5. Dieprivier VGK Primêre Skool
6. Franken VGK Primêre Skool
7. Geelhoutboom VGK Primêre Skool
8. George Sekondêr
9. George-Suid Laerskool
10. Heatherlands High School
11. Heidedal Primêre Skool
12. Herold Laerskool
13. Holy Cross Primary School (George)
14. Hoogekraal SSKV Primêre Skool
15. Imizamo Yethu Secondary School
16. Kommandantsdrift SSKV Primêre Skool
17. Kretzenshoop Primêre Skool
18. Mzoxolo Primary School
19. New Dawn Park Primêre Skool
20. Outeniqua Hoërskool
21. Pacaltsdorp Primêre Skool
22. Pacaltsdorp Sekondêr
23. Rosemoor Primêre Skool
24. St. Mary's RK Primêre Skool (George)
25. St. Paul's EK Primêre Skool (George)
26. Van Der Hoven Laerskool