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22 April 2020 | Story Prof Thidziambi Phendla. | Photo Supplied
Prof Thidziambi Phendla.

The Hollywood movie, Contagion, acutely reminded me of the impact of COVID-19 on our education our education system. The many parallels between this movie and what is unfolding worldwide today in unbelievable. Nine years ago, who would have predicted that the world would find itself right in the middle of the plot and enacting the scenes in Contagion?

There is growing concern about our education system with many asking whether the school year is ruined.

For some it may be ruined and for others less so. Parents for disadvantaged communities do not have the means, knowledge and resources to support their children’s learning during the lockdown whereas those from more advantaged communities may access information on Department of Basic Education (DBE) and other websites to support home schooling during these times. For those who did not have these opportunities the loss of school time may thus have a much greater impact.

Embracing homeschooling
However, the school calendar year may equally be extended to early next year. In any event, we already have a system that allows for aggrotats, supplementary exams that runs into the new year, each year. The academic year can be aligned to close accommodate the lost time.

This is the right time for parents to embrace homeschooling of their children. UNESCO’s “COVID-19 Education response” provides a list of educational applications, platforms and resources aims to help parents, teachers, schools and school administrators facilitate student learning and provide psychosocial support during periods of school closure. Most of the solutions are free and many cater to multiple languages. The lists are categorised based on distance learning needs and most of them offer functionalities across multiple categories (https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/solutions).

On the one hand, for the majority of learners and students in South Africa, especially from impoverished communities, distance learning will pose a great challenge. Majority of these communities have less access to digital devices and online solutions. The DBE should work with the SABC and consider opening a free 24 hours learning channel, as a platform to provide further support to distance learning and teaching. Radio remains the cheapest and most effective means for this

On the other hand, the situation is different with some private or IEB schools. Most learners from these schools are already trained to use distance learning platforms.  For example, during this lockdown, my 13year old niece starts her school day at 07:30 every day without fail. The school uses several strategies including the Microsoft Teams to support teaching and learning. Each learner has a laptop, completes home-work, assignments and write open book tests. In this scenario, at least 80% of efficient learning and teaching occurs. The difference between the two scenarios is a matter of inequalities, equity and poverty which still prevalent in South Africa.

An unequal school system
For many years the slogan was: “Liberation first then education” maybe it is time for “life and health first”. Even in the most difficult times people have found a way to learn – think of those on Robin Island in the apartheid years. We should imitate their example and not wait for the government to provide. Maybe libraries are an essential function that should remain open in these times.

Protracted student protests in South Africa over the past few years gave universities an opportunity to explore online education as an alternative to contact teaching and learning, and have put them in a better position to deal with current shutdowns necessitated by the need to contain COVID-19.

The pandemic exposed the glaring inequalities, equity and poverty that continues to exist, in particular, in education systems and country in general. Those who have the latitude to remain indoors and maintain the social distancing are the middle and upper classes of our society. These groups have access to data to support online educational programs, while the poor barely survive to put food on their tables.

For many years the world was expecting a virus that could spread globally (e.g. the swine flu) but nothing was done. With the myriad of challenges facing, including downgrading to a junk state, funds depleted through corruption at various levels, our country could not be at a worse position than now.

Lessons from the lockdown
One lessons from the lockdown has exposed the failures and shortcomings of not only our education system, but also the entire ecosystem. Huge inequalities still exist in education systems across the globe. Universities are grappling with a myriad of problems including teaching online.  The COVID-19 pandemic forced campuses to shut down and move many functions like graduation, examinations, conferences and other collaborations to the back. Another positive outcome of the pandemic is the sense of unity it created among political, cultural, religious and social organisations in South Africa and across the globe. Consequently, the most important lesson is that lives matter more than education.

As our president, Cyril Ramaphosa said, “We are currently in unchartered territory, which we have never had to navigate before”. It is therefore, very difficult to forecast the full degree of the short-, medium- or long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system. The longer the virus remains, the greater and more permanent changes may be. Certain things will probably change forever. Not only will our conception of going to office to work alter, but also our whole conceptualization of what a university is will change. We will probably see universities becoming more and virtual and operated from a highly decentralized basis. 

                                                              

Prof Thidziambi Phendla is currently manager of Work Integrated Learning at the University of the Free State. She is the Founder and Director of Domestic Worker Advocacy Forum (DWAF); and The Study Clinic Surrogate Supervision; Chair of Council: Tshwane North TVET College (Ministerial appointment).

News Archive

UFS to host one the most prestigious seminars in leadership
2004-09-28

The Business School of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be hosting the Central Region’s screening of the largest global satellite broadcast of the 2004 Living Leadership: Delivering Results the Right Way event.

The event, which will take place on 21 October 2004 from 09:00-16:30 at the Albert Wessels Auditorium on campus, will be up linked from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and will be broadcasted via satellite to 95 cities in two countries.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for leaders in the Central Region to gain exposure to the pioneers in the international leadership field,” said Prof Helena van Zyl, Director of the UFS’s School of Management.

The global satellite simulcast will bring together a powerful diverse group of the world’s leading business authorities. This includes Mr Donald Trump, chairman of The Trump Organisation; Mr Mikhail Gorbachev, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and former president of the Soviet Union; Mr Jim Collins, speaking on his recent best-seller, Good To Great; Mr Peter Drucker, father of management and author of The Effective Executive; Ms Rosabeth Moss Kanter, professor at Harvard Business School; Mr Ken Blanchard, best-selling author of The One Minute Manager; Mr John C Maxwell, best-selling author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and acclaimed speaker; Mr Russell Simmons, entrepreneur and co-founder of Def Jam Records and Mr Larry Bossidy, co-author of the best-seller, Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done.

According to Prof Van Zyl the Living Leadership global satellite broadcast will give attendants exclusive access to the Financial Mail’s Executive Panel. It will also give local executives and renowned leaders the opportunity to share their interpretation of leadership in practical, relevant terms.

Mr Jack Welch’s executive assistant and author of Managing Up, Ms Rosanne Badowski and Ms Caroline Kepcher, an executive vice president to Mr Donald Trump and a lead role on NBC’s hit show, The Apprentice, will join the panel with a special session.

Each of the cutting-edge insights shared by this gathering of world-class leadership authorities will deliver effective benchmarks which teams will use to shape their business outcomes.

The cost is R950,00 per person (group discount is also available) – this includes the receipt of two free issues of the Financial Mail. Tickets are available at Computicket.

For more information on this seminar visit www.livingleadership.co.za or contact Ms Isa Boshoff at 051-4012874 / boshofia.ekw@mail.uovs.ac.za .

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
28 September 2004
 

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