Entrepreneurs see gap in Education market
"Most public schools are overcrowded, you will find a class filled with more than 30 children a class, and this makes it hard for children to concentrate and even harder for teachers to teach. Learners have to resort to going to extra classes which can get quite expensive."
Homeschooling is an alternative to attending private or independent schools, where the parents of a learner of school-going age may provide education to their child.
The Department of Education has announced that it will reopen schools gradually, starting with the grade seven and 12 learners.
Parents are worried about their children’s safety due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Some parents have opted for homeschooling.
Minister Angie Motshekga announced that they will grant permission to pupils to continue their education under homeschooling.
“The South African School’s Act allows parents to homeschool, but you have to register your child and provide your circuit and province with your plan,” she said.
Floyd Shabane (23) and Troy Silubane (23) own a homeschooling centre, Get Smart With Floyd, and they explained how it works.
South African schools have been struggling with overcrowding for many years. Shabane and Silubane found a way to combat the issue.
The two started their own homeschooling centre.
“Most public schools are overcrowded, you will find a class filled with more than 30 children a class, and this makes it hard for children to concentrate and even harder for teachers to teach. Learners have to resort to going to extra classes which can get quite expensive. We started our own homeschooling centre in order to curb overcrowding and give children undivided attention,” they said.
They only teach a few children at time.
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“We do not have more than 10 children in a classroom at a time, in order to be able to focus and to make it easier to teach them. We also do house calls where we teach the children in the comfort of their homes, especially now with Covid-19 doing the rounds,” they said.
They also offer tutoring services to learners who prefer to go to to traditional school.
“Homeschooling is not for everyone, some prefer interacting with people on a daily basis.”
The duo had to register their company at the CPIC (Companies Intellectual Property Commission) and Impaq, the curriculum for homeschooling.
“It was a long process and took about two months for us to complete,” they said.
The challenges the two face are mainly centred around knowledge about homeschooling as a whole. “Most parents do not know what homeschooling is and how it works. Some even think it is a fraud. It important to inform them how to register for homeschooling,” they said.
A parent can apply electronically to the head of their provincial education department and attach the following documents:
• Certified ID copy
• If they are foreign nationals, a certified copy of the child’s passport, study permit, work permit or asylum document.
• Most-recent copy of their child’s report.
• Weekly timetable, which includes contact time per day.
• Breakdown of terms per year (196 days a year).
• Learning programme.
• Certified copy of the child’s birth certificate.
Shabane and Silubane are not only smart with books, but smart in the kitchen too. They started a food business and make scrumptious meals.
Neighbours Kitchen delivers.
“We make delicious burgers, wraps and flavoured lemonade. People can order from our WhatsApp numbers. Floyd Shabane on 071-305-5181 and Troy Silubane on
076-490-0948.”
