Govt’s support programmes for pupils during lockdown are 'adequate’ - Nect
Schools have been closed for about a month now and there were concerns that the 2020 academic year could be completely lost.
JOHANNESBURG - The National Education Collaboration Trust (Nect) on Sunday said plans by the Department of Basic Education were enough to keep pupils, even those in rural areas, up to speed during the nationwide lockdown.
The group of academics is assisting government with packaging raw archives and some donated content for radio, TV, and online platforms.
Schools have been closed for about a month now and there were concerns that the 2020 academic year could be completely lost.
Non-contact learning has fast become essential for South African pupils as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the academic calendar.
The Nect said government approached them for support with non-contact learning.
“The first assistance that we have been providing to the department was on identifying and curating material... and that has a conceptual as well as logistical parts to it,” said the organisation’s CEO Godwin Khosa.
Khosa said the department’s plan included pupils in rural areas.
“They chose to use TV and radio with an understanding that these platforms have a wide reach across the country and in fact, it is not as costly as online learning where data will be required,” Khosa said.
He said while the broadcasts that would be on SABC Radio and TV, as well as eTV, would cover all grades, there was a special focus on matriculants.
For official information about COVID-19 from the Department of Health, please click here.
