2020 Academic year may be lost due to COVID-19

The novel corona virus disease has affected education systems globally, leading to the immediate closure of schools, colleges and universities. The impact of immediate school closure in response to Covid-19 is more rigorous for the disadvantaged children and their families, causing interrupted learning, compromised nutrition, childcare problems and consequent economic cost to families who could not work. According to the department of education, the National Schools Nutrition Programme feeds over 9-million school children, with most of them depending on the meals as their main source of nutrition. When schools are on lockdown, a number of children will suffer from hunger.

No one knows when schools will re-open. Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga said at a media briefing on Friday,10 April 2020 that by the end of April, they have calculated that 30 school days would have been lost due to the pandemic. She said school holidays might be suspended for the rest of the year to save 2020 academic year. Matriculants are in a serious misfortune in this whole situation. Educators and students are expected to work hard, and put on more effort on their school work, should the lockdown be lifted by the end of April. The department of Education and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have launched a Television and Radio curriculum support programme to help learners to stay up to date with their curriculum. They are trying by all means to make up for the lost school time. Learners are urged to tune in on these educational programmes.

Although, university and college students remain stranded, especially those who comes from vulnerable communities, where a Wi-Fi hotspot is foreign. According to The Daily Maverick, online teaching may seem like a wise option under the prevailing circumstances, it is most unlikely to be workable and accommodating to all the students, particularly the poor and underprivileged.