Lowveld High’s readiness – from the principal’s office
Willem Steyn explains how the school has prepared for the arrival of matrics on Monday and how they have been keeping up with academic responsibilities during this time.
Lowveld High was ready this Monday, and will still be ready on June 8 to welcome back the matric class of 2020. This is according to the school’s principal, Willem Steyn.
The school did receive some material from the Department of Education to prepare for the pupils’ arrival, however, Steyn said staff have also been proactive and supplemented what they received with more of their own.
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For academic purposes, they have been using both WhatsApp and D6 during lockdown, but starting Monday, they launched a Google Classroom platform. They will use this, along with WhatsApp going forward.
All this is done to reach as many learners as possible to keep them going, because, “it seems as though the grade 10s and 11s are only going to come back in July”.
“We understand it might change, but you know, that’s another month that we need to keep the learners going. And at least they can get some work done,” said Steyn.
He added that of course there are certain issues with this when it comes to data or Wi-Fi connections but, “unfortunately, because the school fees haven’t been paid as diligently as one would hope, we are not in a position to assist, either financially or giving children data or so on”.
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Steyn said children and parents have a certain responsibility to try and keep up with the work. However, that being said, catch-up programs will be held for every grade to ensure that all learners, even if they have missed what will at that stage be nearly three months’ work, are in the same place before moving forward.
“Luckily the grade eight to 11 curriculum will be shortened. We are not sure exactly how that is going to play out, but at least it will be a bit shorter. Grade 12, of course, is a full curriculum.”
In terms of communication from different role players in the school system, Steyn said he and the school’s governing body work seamlessly together.
“Information coming from the department has been as good as what can be expected from the local department under the current circumstances. It can only pass on information that comes from national.”
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Lowveld High conducted orientation with parents and matrics on Saturday to provide them with information about the Covid-19 coronavirus and talk about the safety measures at the school.
“Parents could also walk around the school and peep through the windows to see the demarcations on the floor.
“All grades and their parents will be invited for orientation the weekend before learners return. It’s not compulsory; we invite them so they feel more comfortable and can see what’s happening.
“We try to limit it to one parent per child. Once they’ve been in somewhere, it is disinfected again before the next group comes in and their hands are sanitised,” he said.
Steyn anticipates the screening process to take quite some time, but said thankfully they are starting only with the grade 12s, hence they will have to “sort of gauge it to see how long the process is going to take at the gate”.
“From our side we are doing everything in our power to keep the kids safe, and we are doing our best to keep them going academically wherever they are, whether they are at school or not. In return, parents must try to pay school fees to keep the school going.
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“I think that’s what is most important. And if they can’t, they need to contact us, because there is the exemption process that is legislated.”
