The recovery plan for all the remaining grades will follow the same approach adopted for grade 7, by extending the remaining school terms or extending the school day.
The department proposed that the day be extended by 30 minutes for grades 4 to 6, a maximum of one hour for grades 7 to 9 and two hours for grades 10 to 12.
The suggestion was that the school day for pupils from grades R to 3 should not be extended.
“The normal school day could be extended at all schools for identified subjects. Subjects which require high cognitive demand, problem-solving and reasoning will receive preference.”
The department proposed that the grade 12 preparatory exam should still be administered “given its importance”.
“It is envisaged that provincial education departments will make available a minimum health and hygiene pack to all schools, consisting of soap, alcohol-based sanitiser per classroom, disinfectant and masks where possible.”
The document stated that among the biggest challenges the basic education sector had to deal with was “screening, but not the testing of all teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as all learners”.
The department painted three scenarios to address possible teacher shortages as a result of educators falling ill after contracting the disease during the lockdown.
These scenarios made assumptions on 5%, 10% and 15% of the teaching force not reporting for duty after falling ill. This translated to 19,518, 39,037 and 58,555 teacher posts respectively.
It is envisaged that provincial education departments will make available a minimum health and hygiene pack to all schools.
It said funding would become available after 907 teachers retired between March and September.
“During monitoring in the first quarter it was reported that 17,760 posts had been set aside for substitute purposes and these posts could be used for replacing teachers who are recovering from the illness.”
A further 3,893 graduates, beneficiaries of the department’s Funza Lushaka Bursary scheme for trainee teachers, were still seeking employment and could be used to fill in for those who were sick.
“However, despite the contingency arrangements, the reopening of schools will be dictated by how the infection rates proceed over the next few weeks and months. The priority of the department is to protect the health and safety of our learners.”
Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA, said lives were more important than the curriculum.
“It’s more important to have the child that we teach tomorrow than to lose the child because we brought them to school too early.”
By:Prega Govender
Source:TimesLIVE
SLOWLY, SLOWLY The department of basic education is proposing that children go back to school in phases.
