Cape storm damages 132 schools, leaves over 270,000 students affected by closures

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This will only be applicable to the 281 schools in the Cape Winelands Education District, and the 84 schools in the Overberg Education District. This comes after a severe storm wreaked havoc across the Western Cape this past weekend and Monday.

"There may be schools outside of these districts that request closure due to severe infrastructure damage or inaccessibility. This will be considered by the department on a case-by-case basis through the normal procedures for requesting school closure. Schools with the necessary permission to close will communicate directly with parents

"Updated weather predictions from the South African Weather Service have indicated a continued risk in the Cape Winelands and Overberg areas, so out of an abundance of caution, we have extended the closure to a second day for these two districts only," the WCED says.

The WCED says the closure affected 406 schools and nearly 270,000 learners and that learner transport routes in these areas were also not operational, affecting 392 routes that ordinarily transport over 2, 000 learners to school each day.

"We have already received reports of damage at 132 schools, ranging from minor to serious. The total is likely to rise when staff return to school properties in the coming days," notes the WCED.