Support for online schooling grows
The group further stated that it looks forward to working with relevant authorities to ensure measures introduced will lead to an improved and quality educational experience for all online learners.
ADvTECH said it supports the government’s intentions to create the conditions to regulate and quality assure the establishment and maintenance of online schools in South Africa.
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The group stated it looks forward to working with relevant authorities to ensure measures introduced will lead to an improved and quality educational experience for all online learners.
“In the last few years, the online school offering in South Africa has grown significantly. This continues to be the case, with an even greater increase in new online schools in the wake of the introduction of pandemic response measures in 2020,” said Chaile Makaleng, head of schools’ compliance and regulation at the ADvTECH Group.
The ADvTECH Group has 108 schools across South Africa and the rest of Africa.
It has more than 33 900 learners attending nine brands, including Crawford International, Trinityhouse, Pinnacle College, Abbotts College, Junior Colleges, The Bridge Assisted Learning School and Evolve Online School, its online school.
“While it is fairly easy for parents to assess the legitimacy of a physical school and escalate problems where they happen, this has not been the case with online schooling, resulting in the risk of families being misled by ostensibly exciting novel offerings, which are not built on the foundation of excellence and integrity that all learners deserve,” said Makaleng.
“Education is too important not to safeguard learners against opportunistic operators.”
Makaleng said when evaluating the merits of an online school, parents should consider the same options they would if they chose an in-person learning institution.
Of course, parents must ensure the school can technologically rise to the challenge, but old-school considerations should still factor into the decision.
Makaleng said the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) framework for virtual schools, proposed by the government, should also help address concerns around so-called fly-by-night schools and online schools that cannot deliver quality education.
“Although in its initial stages, we appreciate the DBE’s long-awaited regulatory support for a rapidly growing alternative to institutional types of teaching and learning in this country.
“We, therefore, urge the department to move with speed to ensure the requisite regulatory certainty regarding the establishment and maintenance of online schools.”
Makaleng said some issues need to be addressed.
The process and timing for moving from guidelines that are out for comment to regulations and even legislation.
Details related to how registration, reporting and quality assurance like accreditation will happen, and this includes the roles of provincial and district offices when these schools are not really “located” in districts.
The link between these schools and higher education in SA.
Clarity about the impact on homeschoolers and their support centres, and those families who still opt to remain outside of formal school-based education (online or physical) will be impacted.
“Given that many online schools follow international curricula leading to international examinations and certification, there should be measures in place to monitor the integrity of the type of curriculum that is offered by providers to ensure unsuspecting parents and learners are not left with certification not recognised in our higher education system,” Makaleng said.
“On the other hand, with regards to CAPS alignment and mapping, online schools should be expected to meet the key curriculum outcomes and it is not yet clear how this will be monitored by Umalusi and others in the context of the rights and responsibilities of independent schools.”
Learners must also be able to move between online and in-person schools and between home-based education and formal schools of both types without being negatively impacted by a lack of clarity on the status of schools and curricula and assessment bodies.
“To strengthen, where appropriate, synergies between online schools and in-person schools, the former must be required to show how they comply with key assessment standards and protocols, mindful of the rights and responsibilities for independent schools in this regard,” Makaleng said.
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