Namakwa schools suspend classes and exams amid Level 4 weather warning - IOL

Grade 12 learners in the Namakwa District will not write their scheduled Physical Science and Technical Science preparatory examinations on Monday after severe weather prompted the Northern Cape Department of Education to suspend all school activities.

The Northern Cape Department of Education has suspended classes, including examinations, at all schools in the Namakwa District on Monday because of a Yellow Level 4 weather warning for disruptive rain.

In a statement, the department said the forecast indicated the possibility of heavy rainfall, flooding and the inaccessibility of certain roads.

It said the conditions could pose significant risks to learners, educators, support staff and school communities.

The department said in the interest of protecting the safety and well-being of everyone, no learner will report to school and no examinations will be written on Monday.

The department acknowledged that Grade 12 learners were scheduled to write their Physical Science and Technical Science preparatory examination papers on Monday.

“We wish to assure learners, parents and schools that the department has back-up examination papers in place for both subjects.”

“The necessary arrangements will be communicated to schools once the weather situation has been assessed and it is safe to proceed with the examinations.”

The department said it understood the importance of the Grade 12 preparatory examinations and remained committed to ensuring that the disruption caused by the adverse weather conditions did not disadvantage learners.

“Appropriate contingency measures will be implemented to ensure that the affected examination papers are written at a later date.”

The department appealed to parents and guardians to keep learners at home on Monday and avoid unnecessary travel during dangerous weather conditions.

“The Namakwa District Office will remain in constant communication with school principals and relevant stakeholders to monitor developments and co-ordinate the implementation of the contingency plan.”

Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned people in several areas to brace for a wet and potentially disruptive start to the week, with heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and damaging winds forecast for Monday.

SAWS issued a series of impact-based warnings for Monday, September 14, with the most serious being a Yellow Level 4 warning for disruptive rain over parts of the Western and Northern Cape.

The warning comes as widespread rain and thunderstorms are forecast across large parts of the western and central regions of the country.

According to SAWS, there is an 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms across a broad area stretching from parts of the Western Cape into the Northern Cape.

A 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms extends across other parts of the Northern Cape and into the central interior, while parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have a 30% chance of rain.

Isolated showers are also expected over parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where the chance of rain is around 30%.

The Yellow Level 4 disruptive rain warning covers an area extending across parts of the Western Cape and into the Northern Cape.

SAWS warned that the rainfall could cause flooding of roads and settlements and major disruption to traffic.

A Yellow Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms has also been issued across parts of the Northern and Western Cape.

The storms could result in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, as well as localised damage to settlements in exposed areas.

A Yellow Level 1 severe thunderstorm warning is in place over a section of the Eastern Cape, where storms could damage settlements and temporary structures and cause localised interruptions to electricity and communication services.

Strong winds will add to Monday's difficult weather conditions.

A Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds covers a vast stretch of the interior, including parts of the Northern Cape, North West, Free State and Limpopo.

The weather service warned of possible localised damage to settlements.

Along sections of the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape coastlines, Yellow Level 1 and Level 2 damaging wind warnings are in place.

The Level 2 coastal warning includes a risk to the navigation of small boats and vessels, as well as possible disruption to small harbours, ports and beachfront activities.

Elsewhere along the affected coastline, damaging winds could cause localised damage to settlements, interruptions to power and communications, and difficult navigation conditions.