Covid-19 pushes school classes online

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease spreading globally, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster on Sunday with schools closing two days early for the Easter break.

Schools will remain closed until after the Easter weekend (10 – 13 April) and since public schools were due to go back on March 31, this makes the holidays nearly three weeks longer overall.

To compensate, the mid-year school holidays will be shortened by a week.

As a temporary solution to the crisis many local schools are finding stop-gap solutions to continue teaching.

A number of schools in the region are implementing a temporary ‘home-schooling’ situation for their pupils embracing the ‘learning anywhere, anytime’ concept of digital education in a range of formats.

Umhlali Preparatory school principal Sandra Wiggill said the school prepared and handed out work packs on Thursday for students to complete remotely while on their extended break.

Ashton International College’s continuity plan leverages online learning using a number of digital platforms.

According to management, the process of transitioning their students online began almost a month ago, allowing for multi-media and interactive communication as well as the handing in of homework and assignments.

Reddam Ballito are also navigating the crisis by shifting their classes exclusively online through the software, Google Classroom, which the students are already familiar with, until they reopen.

Through the app teachers are able to create classes, post assignments, upload lesson plans, organise folders, and view work in real time.

While the number of reported infection cases in children remains low, the majority of parents seem to agree that it is in the best interest of the children and teachers to close the schools to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

To make up for lost time, school days may be made longer once children return, and if the school shutdown is extended, the school year may also be extended.

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