These are the challenges in the back-to-school plan – GGA

With at least 12,408,755 pupils from varied backgrounds, about 407,000 teachers across the country, as well as the biggest wealth gap globally between the rich and the poor, the Good Governance Africa (GGA) report has pointed to unique challenges for basic education’s back-to-school plan.

The GGA Covid-19 response survey report titled “Child Development and Youth Formation”, agreed that a phased approach to pupils returning to schools seemed like the most viable option, but lamented infrastructure and resources challenges.

The report highlights issues that already existed prior to the pandemic that required immediate attention, stating that common challenges that emerged from a teacher survey in Mbizana in the Eastern Cape included overcrowding, a lack of resources (connectivity, water and sanitation), discipline, nutrition and safety as prioritised by the department.

“A total of 3,475 schools in South Africa require an adequate water supply in the form of boreholes, water tanks and plumbing. Before pupils can return to schools, all classrooms, staff rooms and hostels need to be sanitised. The sanitation process needs to take place daily before the start of each school day,” the report emphasised.

It further states that children should not move between classes and no clustering of desks should be allowed, lamenting that a lack of furniture and space is a concern.

“Will there be sufficient desks made available to under-resourced schools? A sustainable solution is required.

“Local entrepreneurs should be enabled to produce furniture for local schools in their communities, thus improving the livelihoods of families in marginalised communities,” the report recommended.

The survey recommended that pupils be prepared for the return to school, saying it was necessary to emotionally prepare children for social distancing and that their old classroom routine will have to change.

In a 1 May statement, according to GGA, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said psycho-social support services would be made available to schools and that her department had public-sector psychologists and social workers with prior training available.

The survey lamented that though prior policy documents suggested the need for social services and support for pupils in schools, not many social workers were employed to work in schools.

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