Educators are calling for more and better parental intervention as the pandemic continues to break the pillars of teaching and learning in schools.
As the rise in infections and developments of new variants continue, they are calling for learner attendance to be regulated. Guru Ramcharan, Principal of Trubel Primary School, said the perseverance of the virus has continued to increase anxiety, stress and create chaos in the education circles. “It has also increased the gap in learning and teaching between the haves and have-nots. It’s business as usual for advantaged schools as learning continues in earnest online. Public schools have to rely heavily on work packs. Dedicated, committed and passionate educators go that extra mile in preparing these packs and the costs run into tens of thousands of Rands which is not recouped as monies are not forthcoming in schools.” To add to this challenge, Ramcharan said learners are left unsupervised resulting in work not being done. “Much teaching time has been lost during the course of the year and ultimately our learners are the beneficiaries of little to no education. Now, more than ever, parents and guardians must come to the rescue of their very own. Constantly reviewing these packs with the learners on a daily basis and signing them will ensure that learners have their fingers on the pulse of their school work.”
He said parents must dedicate a few minutes every day to ensure that their children are following the school syllabus. “We appreciate that they have challenges in their own lives at work and when they return home exhausted, however, these few moments every day will ensure ultimate success and will also lead to strengthening of family bonds. You will discover your own child and their abilities.” He added that far too many learners are found loitering in the streets and on the open fields for the entire day, unsupervised, with no masks and no social distancing, an ideal platform for the virus to spread. “Education is a game changer. Let us regain the control of our children by knowing where they are and what they do. They are the future. Let us provide guidance and direction.” Ramcharan said: “We take this opportunity to wish our matriculants every success in their trial examinations currently in progress. Apply yourselves to your studies and success will be yours.”
