Given the substantial loss of teaching and learning time during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, the key pressure point for the South African education system and many other schooling systems across the world was to re-open schooling. Drawing on data from key education stakeholders in South Africa, this article uses qualitative research methods to identify some of the success and impeding factors experienced by the South African education system in its quest to return all schools to full functionality during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we suggest some of the strategies that can assist schools to return to full functionality and to build the resilience of schooling systems after the COVID-19 pandemic and before future pandemics. This article finds that there were both success and impeding factors that schools experienced in the task of returning to full functionality. Success factors included the availability of adequate classrooms, strict adherence to COVID-19 health protocols, a smaller number of learners in classes, and cooperation between parents, members of school governing bodies and the community. Impeding factors included limited classroom space, large enrolments, and a shortage of teachers.