South Africa’s basic education department has concluded an agreement with that of health to ensure students who test positive for Covid-19 are still allowed to write their final high school examinations, it said late on Wednesday.

Learners in South Africa’s government schools were due to write the first paper in the exams on Thursday, after a school calendar heavily disrupted by the pandemic, with all learning institutions halting physical classes for several months from March when the government enforced a nationwide lockdown.

Initially, the education department had said students with the coronavirus could not write their exams this year, but would instead be given another chance in 2021.

It however caved after receiving numerous requests from parents and learners alike for the government to review the rule.

Candidates who test positive for the virus but are deemed fit to write the examination, will now be allowed to do so at a separate venue.

“This change in the protocol is very helpful because it will give all learners an opportunity to write their examinations,” basic education minister Angie Motshekga said, however cautioning that people should not now become complacent about observing regulations aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19.

The basic education department said learners would be screened at the entrance of examination venues and those displaying a temperature higher than 38°C would be allowed to write the paper in an isolation venue at the school.

“After the examination they will not be allowed to socialise with other learners, but will be taken to a health centre for further medical attention,” it added.