The Cabinet is to discuss calls for schools to close until the end of August, according to a Sunday Times report.
It said South Africa’s five major teacher unions had urged the government to immediately close schools across the country in light of the surge in Covid-19 infections.
The unions suggest that matrics return on 17 August, with other grades only returning at the end of August, subject to a review of the status of the pandemic.
The Sunday Times said Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga would discuss these proposals with the cabinet.
Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said it would be up to the Cabinet to decide whether or not to close schools.
Last week, Motshekga confirmed that some 16 000 teachers had comorbidities, putting them at greater risk of severe infection.
Hundreds of schools across the country have been closed because of outbreaks of infection since 8 June, when most grade 7 and matric pupils returned to the classroom.
In his virtual imbizo on Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: ‘The World Health Organisation has cautioned that in countries where there is still a rise in infections, it would not be wise to reopen schools.
‘There has also been a clear voice and message from teacher unions and we will also listen and engage and we are discussing this matter. In our typical consultative way, we will come up with a way forward on the issue of schools.’