Makhanda high schools had their own challenges at the start of the new school year. Emotional wellbeing as the effects of Covid-19 and the lockdown sweep through communities and a return to some kind of structure and routine are high on the lists of principals’ priorities.
Seven Grade 8 classes
Kutliso Daniels
“I don’t know where all these learners are coming from,” said Radio Mcuba, Principal of Kutliso Daniels Secondary School. Across the country there has been a huge influx at the start of primary and high school. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga in her address last Sunday said 16 117 learners were awaiting space in schools.
This year Kutliso Daniels has no fewer than seven Grade 8 classes and more than 20 other Grade 8 applicants had to be turned away. With 235 learners n Grade 8 alone, and the school’s total number the highest it’s ever been at 739, they’re desperate for more classrooms.
Their Grades 8 and 9 attend school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Grades 10 and 11 come on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Grade 12s come every day.
Adding to the pressure on Kutliso Daniels is the closure of farm schools. Children from Carlisle Bridge, Seven Fountains, Kwandwe and Salem are brought in daily.
“It’s unfortunate that even if we wanted to organise an extra class for the Grade 12s here and there, there is not a single empty classroom,” Mcuba said.
A prefab module provided by Public Works serves as a base for 10 Education Assistants deployed to the school.
Not that they really have enough teachers. They’ve applied to add to their complement of 16, but it’s a process that takes time.
Make the best of every day
PJ Olivier
PJ Olivier has 422 Learners from Grade R to 12 and 21 Teachers Their Grade 8 numbers are much higher than usual and they have a class of 54.
“Our theme for 2021 is HOPE,” says Principal Joubert Retief.
They want to bring HOPE, he says, by:
a. Focusing on the future and not the past. To spend less time worrying about what might have been or what we cannot do due to Covid -19, and more on what we can do.
b. Focusing on today the current situation – to make the best of every day. To give it all now and not to wait for tomorrow.
c. Providing the best conditions possible for teaching and learning at the school under the constant threat of COVID-19.
d. Assisting our learners, teachers, non-educators and parents to manage the short- and long-term impact of COVID-19.
e. Inspiring young people to keep on dreaming and working towards a better future in Makhanda, the Eastern Cape, South Africa and the world.
f. Finding and embracing new and creative ways to facilitate learning and everything else we do.
g. We hope that our parents will be able to support the school financially.
The biggest challenge in 2021 will be to keep everyone safe when the next waves of COVID 19 approaches, Retief said, and to manage the possible impact of further lockdowns.
“Motivating and encouraging staff and learners when we have to make new plans all the time or receive new and sometimes challenging directives is always a challenge.”
Like other schools they hope to fill vacancies for teachers and non-teaching staff as soon as possible.
The economic impact of COVID-19 on households and on the school has been very challenging, Retief said.
“We aim to focus on one day at a time – to focus on the things we can do something about and worry less worry about what might happen.
“Planning and replanning, motivating and supporting,” Retief said. He hopes to encourage cooperation between schools – “ecause we are swimming the same sea at the same time”.
“We must bring hope to our children by encouraging them to look towards the future. Not referring to the past and to what they have lost, but to accept the reality and become excited about the new year,” Retief said. “Accept that their reality at school is different from yours and it’s not the end of the world. They are young and are adaptable. They need your support, encouragement and prayers now more than ever.”
Better able to adapt and adjust
Victoria Girls’ High School
What do you hope for your school in 2021?
Our hope is that as a school community we are all resilient enough to manage everything that 2021 is likely to throw at us. Primarily though, a year with considerably less loss of loved ones would be good. We hope that all learners and staff at the school thrive and cope with the constant changes that are thrown our way and that we provide the daily support and structure that so many of our children need right now. We also hope to provide time for gratitude and celebration and to provide our learners with inspiration during another challenging year.
What challenges do your teachers and learners face this year and how do you plan to address them?
Challenges for teachers: Pressure from wider community to ensure that learning is taking place and that enough time is spent on academic work. Also, to face another year with the knowledge that teaching and learning may be disrupted. But with the experience of 2020 we are better able to adapt and adjust.
How to overcome this – creative use of the current timetable. To focus on the quality of work and not quantity of work. Also, to focus on teaching the pupils to work independently and read more widely to better prepare them for tertiary studies.
Challenges for learners: alternating school days and working from home can be difficult, but setting clear work times and not spending all day sleeping or watching TV will make this easier. Another challenge is to stay positive, focused and to cope with the need for a greater amount of independent learning.
How to overcome this – we will encourage the learners to always do their best at all times. They need to be disciplined and focused on their studies. They must be prepared for face-face classes by doing all the homework and asking lots of questions in class. The school will constantly support and monitor them.
Trying to navigate the changed circumstances of the year in a meaningful way would be a key challenge for all. At VG we strive to create a safe space for teachers and learners, and hopefully this will be able to give them the tools necessary to cope with what the year has in store.
What is your advice to parents for 2021?
We encourage parents/ caregivers to communicate with their children and support them both emotionally and academically. Being disciplined to work independently is a hard skill for many learners and they need help at home. Many are also still in emotional turmoil about the disruption to their lives and so many are dealing with the loss of someone close to them. They need ongoing support.
• Follow up with your teenagers that they have actually done the work for class and home time, make sure you ask them questions about how they managed at school (don’t just accept “Fine” as an answer!).
• Allow a dedicated workspace to be set up at home, either in their room or at the dining room table, this helps them feel that they have a place to sit and focus on school; ask younger siblings to play quietly in another room or outside while the teenagers are going through their school work.
• Always check in with your children, find out how they are coping and please reach out and talk to their teachers if you are concerned about their school work.
– Ncameka Boqwana, Head of Business Studies and Accounting
Support your child
Graeme College
How many learners and how many teachers do you have in 2021?
We have 655 learners from grade 00 to 12. We have 20 Departmental teachers and are very fortunate to have governing body teachers to assist with the vast teaching load.
Has there been an unusually high number of applications for Grade 1 and/or Grade 8 at your school?
Graeme College has experienced the same predicament as always: too many applicants for the number of places. Graeme College is one school from Grade 00 to 12 so each year the grade moves up to the next grade, this process limits the number of vacant places in all grades.
What do you hope for your school in 2021?
* Get through an academic year uninterrupted by lockdowns or COVID-19 related stoppages during school time.
* Get back to normal academic and extramural routines. It would be exciting to get our boys back on to the sports fields and participating in cultural activities..
* Catch up missed content and skills from 2020.
What challenges do your teachers and learners face this year and how do you plan to address them?
* With learners back at school, keeping them safe. Social distancing, sanitising etc.
* Classes are still not as interactive as we would like.
* Sports/cultural programme not fully up and running yet due to regulations.
* Regulations keep changing so the situation and timetable will have to be adapted as the COVID-19 situation of the country changes. Planning is then very difficult.
What is your advice to parents for 2021?
* Support your child in all activities.
* Enjoy the learning alongside your child.
* Encourage the support of Covid protocols at home and in public.
* Read the school newsletter and make sure you are well informed about what is happening.
* Make time for your child and monitor his homework so that he has a support system in place.
* Ensure your son makes the best of all his moments at school, so that should there be another closure/lockdown he is well ahead and is not disadvantaged.
- Tracy Kenyon, Head of Academics
https://www.grocotts.co.za/2021/02/22/first-day-brings-new-challenges/
