DA asks Education Ministers to pull out all the stops to Save the Year

23 April 2020

On Friday Ministers Blade Nzimande and Angie Motshekga will hold a joint press conference on common issues in Higher and Basic Education – all related to the ongoing lockdown and its possible partial lifting in the future.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) acknowledges the enormous amount of work already put in by these Departments into the management of the lockdown – particularly in respect of the extensive online options being developed and the provisions made for students without clearcut access to digital means of learning -  and its possible future lifting.

We have a range of  further suggestions for how the two Departments could develop the country’s approach to the matter.  We respectfully invite the two Departments to consider our suggestions which will be sent in detail to the respective Ministers.

Above all, we believe that the teaching year needs to be saved, if not for everyone then for those in crucial years and courses.

If this is not done, then Grade 7s will not be able to advance to Grade 8, Matrics will not be able to advance to University or College, and schools and students in crucial professions and programmes will not be able to graduate. Schools, Universities and Colleges will be thrown into disarray.

For these crucial years, our assessment is that if the teaching year is not re-started by early June, it might be too late to rescue it.

Thus we suggest that as soon as possible – subject to the advice of Health specialists and to the “staged” re-opening of the economy – all educational institutions be partially and gradually re-opened.

We advocate that if reopening does occur, the following categories of learners and students be re-introduced into schools as well: all those doing courses based in laboratories and on practicals; all postgraduates, and all children of parents who have to return to work as part of “essential industries”.

Accompanying this reopening must be a carefully planned set of initiatives to protect learners, teachers, students and lecturers – including screening, testing, social distancing and hygiene. In addition the financial and other indirect implications of the lockdown and reopening need to be reconsidered. As only a small proportion of learners and students will be re-admitted when institutions open, there will be space and time to make use of such measures.

There should also be ongoing work on the provision of online education for those unable to attend institutions, including such initiatives as:

the use of libraries and community halls as access points for those unable to access IT at home

the establishment of “banks” of computers for loan to students using their fee accounts as surety

the use of “WiFi trucks” as possible hot spots for particular areas

the printing of course content and the delivery thereof to students at home

Our detailed recommendations on these matters are in the document we are sending to Ministers.

To assist in the smooth operation of schools, colleges and Universities, both now and in the longer run, textbooks need to be urgently exempted from the lockdown while the gazetted requirement that online educational content be zero-rated should be urgently implemented.

In the long term, the online initiatives already developed need to be expanded and consolidated, so that all teaching in our educational system moves towards a “blended” mode, where online and face-to-face teaching are combined. This will be to the benefit of all – providing an enriched and contemporary experience for all who are studying.

Issued by Belinda Bozzoliand NomsaMarchesi, 23 April 2020