Cosas vows to challenge early opening for private schools in court News24 Wire Picture: iStock. Cosas says every school in South Africa should open on 15 February, with no exception for a select few. The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) says a decision for independent schools to be allowed to open their doors from 1 February, two weeks before public schools is arrogant and furthers inequality in the country. The student body has vowed to challenge the decision in the court. It has also vowed to shutdown all schools which opened before 1 February, adding it believed the facilities were driven by profit and not concerned about the health of pupils.