Cape Town - One education activist has said she has welcomed Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga’s decision but is calling for schools in low-income communities to be equipped with the technology to help with the curriculum being done via online learning.
Vanessa Le Roux, of Parents for Equal Education gave her response after Motshekga made a public announcement this morning regarding the DBE’s plans for the 2022 school year which included keeping the calender rotational.
“We are listening to all stakeholders, and in many instances educators have different views over the rotational programme, some in our township schools feel that eventually the class sizes is manageable,” said Le Roux.
“They are now able to give some kind of individual attention to learners, where in normal circumstances they could not, where in other instances a few teachers complaint over the fact that they have to repeat lessons, however as a parent, we want our children to be educated in a safe environment, none of us asked for this pandemic, but we have to find ways to keep the curriculum going, and still provide a safe space where protocol are being observed.
“The DBE should have taking notes from the challenges last year and made provision for learners to still be able to continue while at home, I am surprised that none of the provinces including national have made provision for technology, not for those who can afford online schooling, but for the poorest of poor communities, we can't complaint about learning losses but actually do nothing about it, and see traditional classroom teaching as the only solutions, technology is part of our everyday lives.
“It is time that the DBE become innovative, and come up with solutions, not only to address learning losses through technology, but also to equip our children to compete on a world stage, and that opportunities should not be reserved only for the rich and privileged.”
Motshekga announced the rotational school year will remain the same as Covid-19 is still very much with us and that going back to a possible normal calendar was in discussion.
“Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on the Basic Education Sector in the past two years,” she detailed.
“We have spoken before about the learning losses incurred as a direct result of the novel Covid-19 pandemic – from the loss of teaching and learning time, to education personnel losing their lives to Covid-19 complications.
“We have lost an MEC, an HOD, a teacher union leader, teachers, staff and learners have also been affected.
“We have sought to find every strategy to keep the sector going, even under such difficult conditions.
“Working together with our stakeholders, we have been able to return all learners back to school at primary level.”
She said the Covid-19 numbers had declined last year due to the vaccine programme and that schools had adhered to the protocols which made their teaching environment safer.
“In 2021 we recorded a significant decline in the number of schools that were closed and reopened due to Covid-19. This can be attributed in part, to the successful vaccination programme of education personnel from June 2021.
“Another important factor that has contributed to the relative stability in the sector, is the adherence to Covid-19 health and safety protocols.
“We applaud our schools for doing all they can to ensure that protocols are observed at all times.
“We expect that the same will apply this year, as we intensify the implementation of our recovery programme.
“We really need to work together to reboot the system, and get it back on track again. It will take time, but a concerted effort is required from all stakeholders.
Motshekga said the rotational roster would continue while the State of Disaster was still in effect and that the number of spectators at a school event would be the only amendment so far: “The amendment is with regard to the number of spectators permitted at school sport venues.
“That is the only change that we intend gazetting once stakeholders have made their inputs.
“With regards to schooling, the situation will remain the same, especially rotational time-tabling, where it was applicable when we concluded schooling in 2021.
“The fact of the matter is that Covid-19 is very much still with us, and we need to continue to work together to fight it.
“We are exploring possibilities to return schooling to normal, but we need to do so responsibly; and to this end, we rely entirely on the advice of public health experts, through the Ministerial Advisory Committee, the National Coronavirus Command Council, and indeed Cabinet. At the right time, we will come back to report on progress being made.”
Weekend Argus