Finals were supposed to start on 1 November, the same day the nation goes to the polls. But the Department of Basic Education has released a circular on Wednesday morning saying they would now start on 27 October instead.
The department said part of the reason for the significant jump in numbers is the COVID lockdown and school closures, which meant pupils were not in class.
Figures show that nearly 87,000 babies were delivered to girls aged between 10 and 19 in public health facilities in 2017 and that this number rose to more than 136,000 in 2020.
The department on Sunday said it would be facilitating the administration of COVID-19 jabs to pupils who are 18 years and older across the province’s schools.
Naptosa's Basil Manuel said he was opposed to the relaxation of any health safety measures decreasing social distancing to half a meter in schools.
It has heard that the Department of Basic Education is addressing the issues through the provision of comprehensive sexuality education.
Concerns have been raised over new coronavirus cases in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape centres of learning and teaching.
Section 27 returned to the court on Friday to try and compel the Department of Education to address the sanitation crisis at schools.
The advocacy group is trying to compel the Department of Basic Education to address the sanitation crisis.
Primary schools went back to full-time teaching this week but it quickly became apparent that many schools just did not have the space to welcome all learners back and keep them 1m apart.
Some schools have not been able to resume with full time learning due to physical distance requirements.
Last week, the department announced all primary school leaners would return to class fulltime after months of a hybrid system, intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Primary school pupils nationwide are expected to resume daily classes from Monday.
Taxi violence and school burglaries in some provinces have disrupted teaching and learning on the second day of the reopening of schools in the country.
Winter holidays were abruptly brought forward last month due to the third wave of COVID-19 infections.
On Saturday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said that the sector was ready to reopen schools depending on what President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address on Sunday night.
Motshekga was on Saturday speaking in Pretoria on the state on readiness for the reopening of schools for the third academic term.
This applies even when schools are closed due to COVID-19 or learners are at home because of rotating timetables.
