The academic school year is coming to an end and parents have been voicing concerns about educators encouraging learners not to come to school, reports Highway Mail.
End-of-year exams and tests finish at least a month earlier than schools’ official closing date.
If learners are being encouraged to start their holidays early and take off the days leading up to break-up day, then shouldn’t exams finish a lot closer to break-up day?
New-Germany and Pinetown based-schools, such as Lyndhurst Primary and John Wesley School, keep their young learners busy up until the last day with extramural activities and excursions.
John Wesley’s headmaster, Darron Tarr said: “We insist on our kids to stay in school up until the last day. We arrange outings and fun-days for them and start teaching next year’s content,” said Tarr, who indicated that the school was following the law.
“Legally, your child is meant to be at school for 199 days if they’re in a government school and 195 days if they’re in an independent school. Anything less than that is in violation of the law.”
Westville Boys’ High School’s headmaster, Graham Steele, said, “We write exams up until the middle of the fourth term. We also have control tests that contribute to the first term mark for the following year. We also start teaching the learners content for next year at this time.”
Other schools in the upper highway area, like Hillcrest High School, have a full post-examination programme for their learners after exams.
What about schools with minimal facilities? Clermont-based Clernaville Primary School educator Thokozani Luthuli said, “After exams, most learners don’t come to school. We do not have media rooms or playing grounds, so they get bored.”
The department of education’s circuit manager, Doli Myende, explained how difficult the end of the year was for educators.
“Exams can’t end too late because of marking, moderation within the schools and assessment committees that need to award marks accordingly. Schools are encouraged to have post-exam programmes and Grade 11s should start learning content for matric.
“Some teachers also go to matric-marking centres, which starts on 1 December.
“Schools close 4 December,” she said.
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