Cabinet has approved to scrap rotational learning and for all primary school kids to go back to class full-time.

In a statement released on Monday night, spokesperson for the minister in the presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said cabinet had approved changes to the adjusted Alert Level 1 Covid-19 regulations following a national coronavirus command council meeting.

She said information gathered by the department of health was that SA had exited the fourth wave.

“Based on the trajectory of the pandemic and the levels of vaccination in the country, cabinet has decided those who test positive with no symptoms do not have to isolate, that if you test positive with symptoms, the isolation period has been reduced from 10 to seven days and that contacts do not have to isolate unless they develop symptoms,” Mhlauli said.

According to Mhlauli, the rationale for the amendments was informed by the proportion of people with immunity to Covid-19 which had risen substantially, exceeding 60-80%.

“Cabinet also reviewed the resumption of schooling to full-time learning in all schools. Primary, secondary and special schools will return to daily attendance. The regulatory provision for social distancing of  one meter for learners in schools has also been removed,” she said.

Health minister Joe Phaahla and basic education minister Angie Motshekga are expected to issue directives in the coming days to reflect the new approach.

Last wednesday, the DA filed a court application in the high court in Pretoria seeking to compel government to open schools full-time.

The party said more than 80% of SA schools were still operating on a rotational basis, whereby each child attends school half the time, on alternate days or weeks.