Schools across the Eden and Central Karoo Education District will be closed on Wednesday, 3 June, and Thursday, 4 June, due to severe weather conditions expected to affect the region.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier announced the decision on Tuesday following consultations with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre. The closure applies to all public, ordinary and special needs schools in the district.

The move comes in response to warnings of heavy rainfall and potentially dangerous weather conditions in the area.

Maynier said learner and teacher safety remained the department’s top priority. Schools in the affected districts have been notified and instructed to inform parents of the temporary closure.

All other schools in the Western Cape will remain open unless specific approval for closure is granted on a case-by-case basis.

The Western Cape Education Department said its preference is always to keep schools open and only close them in exceptional circumstances. However, it said the severity of the weather warnings justified the precautionary measure.

Schools in the Eden and Central Karoo districts are expected to reopen on Friday, 5 June, subject to conditions remaining safe. The department said it would continue monitoring the situation and communicate directly with affected schools and parents should further closures become necessary.