Her visit also come after some some learners and teachers were not able to attend on the first day of the term as a result of the violence.

Schäfer said there were some schools that had been affected by the taxi disruptions, which was highly regrettable given the amount of time that has been lost by schools.

She said for principals and teachers have shown dedication to their learners for choosing to work in such a challenging environment.

The MEC visited Joe Slovo High School in Khayalitsha, Injongo Primary School in C Section, and Intshayelelo Primary School in Ilitha Park.

Vanessa le Roux, founder of a group called Parents for Equal Education SA said Schäfer needs to become a more active player in negotiations on the taxi violence discussions.

Le Roux said this must be done for the sake of learners and educators in her province.

“We need to know from the department what their plan is to accommodate learners affected by this taxi violence and that they [those who missed work and tests] will be given another chance to rewrite,” said le Roux.

Adding that the MEC should realise her sector is heavily impacted by the ongoing taxi violence and that she must enter the table of negotiations with the appropriate stakeholders.

ANC provincial spokesperson on education Khalid Sayed said they would join the transport committee meeting on Thursday and demand that all stakeholders find a solution for the sake of learners and teaching staff.

He said it was unacceptable that teaching and learning was taking place in such circumstances.

Sayed said the other challenge faced by schools was that Covid-19 devastation which is very much still present.

“The Western Cape Education Department needs to give parents a greater sense of confidence that schools are ready.

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For many young South Africans, a qualification is perceived to be the passport to a good job and decent salary, opening the way to a better life for them and their families.

South Africa’s private higher education sector has grown rapidly since 1994, when the education system began to expand under democracy. The number and types of private institutions have increased and student enrolment more than doubled between 2011 and 2019.

There are currently 130 registered private higher education providers. These institutions enrol about 210,000 students, and produced more than 42,000 graduates in 2019.

The sector is diverse in terms of institutional reputation, size, ownership, fee structure and student demographic.

In South Africa, the term “university” is reserved for public higher education institutions according to the Higher Education Act. Consequently, private higher education may be perceived as not on par with university education. But there’s little difference between the sectors as far as qualification standards are concerned. All private institutions must be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and need to comply with the same programme accreditation and quality assurance requirements as public universities.

One advantage that private institutions may have – because they are smaller – is the flexibility to adapt their offering relatively quickly to meet the needs of the market. Many deliver niche vocational programmes, using industry experts as educators, with the specific intention of producing more employable graduates.

But do they? Between 2018 and 2020 I conducted research into whether this goal was being achieved. I evaluated the opportunities provided by private higher education institutions in South Africa and the employability of their media graduates, specifically.

I found that the percentage of graduates who found employment was relatively high. But the employment outcomes varied between graduates, strongly shaped by personal biographies as well as enrolment choices and options, and mediated by type of institution.

These findings may be of use to higher education managers, educators, researchers and policy makers. Attention needs to be given not only to the knowledge and skills graduates require for employment but also the other factors that give graduates a better chance of earning a decent livelihood and participating in society.

Employability of graduates

The research focused on graduates who studied to work in journalism, public relations, graphic design, creative and visual communication, including radio and television production and broadcasting. These fields are rapidly changing and increasingly digitalised. Participants came from three private institutions – elite and non-elite – and had been in the workplace for between one and five years.

I found that four things counted for employability: the reputation of the institution; networks and connections; experience; and type of work.

A qualification doesn’t equate to a job. Within five years of graduating, 84% of the graduates were working. Yet some – mostly from disadvantaged backgrounds – remained unemployed. And it seemed their opportunities were diminishing.

Having a job doesn’t equate to earning a decent livelihood. Many graduates were underemployed. Some had taken jobs in factories, retail or administration, merely to earn some income.

One-third of the employed graduates earned less than R10,000 ($700) a month, and 11% of those earned below R5,000 a month. That isn’t far off the minimum wage. There was a pattern: most of the low wage earners were black graduates from non-elite institutions.

Experience is essential. Employers recruit from their industry network. Eighty percent of the study participants had participated in some form of internship to build a base of working experience. But the monthly stipend ranged from R2,000 to R4,000 (between $130 and $270), which barely covered transport costs. This means that graduates who can be financially supported by family take on internships. Those from poor families are less likely to be able to afford the benefit of these employment-enhancing opportunities and go in search of any job. Hence their disadvantage persists.

An institution’s reputation counts. Employers partner with higher education institutions. They contribute industry-relevant input to the curriculum and teaching, and then recruit directly from the institution’s pool of graduates. Employers admitted that they favour graduates from particular institutions while those from other institutions are overlooked.

Equipped for the real world

Deeper analysis of graduates’ employment status showed patterns of employment were divided along lines of race, socio-economic status, educational background and institution. These findings are similar to those of studies on the employability of graduates from public universities. They call into question the value of investing in private higher education, and whether private institutions provide equitable opportunities for all graduates.

The findings confirm that skills, knowledge and a qualification don’t ensure successful employment outcomes for graduates. Higher education cannot overcome structural constraints such as a saturated labour market, weak economy and entrenched social inequality. More of the same from institutions, irrespective of the quality of the education, will likely continue to reproduce unequal outcomes.

The need for private institutions in South Africa to take note of this reality is even more important in the context of COVID-19 and the recent social unrest, and the implications of these macro issues on graduates’ livelihoods and lives.

Policies should recognise that some individuals require different strategies, resources and ways of teaching to achieve the same outcomes as others. Students need to be guided and supported in their choices from the outset, learning how to build networks, gaining real work experience, and preparing for various types of work in a range of contexts.

Graduate preparation must move beyond employers and employment. Institutions ought to focus on enhancing graduates’ abilities to navigate their way in society, to respond to opportunities to work and earn, and to be adaptable so they can thrive in an uncertain world.

The post Four things that count when a South African graduate looks for work appeared first on Inside Education..

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it was pleased with the start of the third school term on Monday, with schools operating as per their temporary revised education plans.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said all primary school learners (Grades R to 7) and special school learners (Grades R to 12) would return to the daily attendance and traditional timetabling model next Monday.

School management teams and support staff returned last Thursday to prepare for the return of learners and teachers.

Hammond said the WCED was also collating the reports from schools which experienced burglary and vandalism during the school holidays.

READ: Anxiety and fear as learners return to school in Phoenix

“Unfortunately, a number of reports have been received thus far. Further information will be released later this week,” she said.

She said the department was deeply saddened by the report of a death of a security guard allegedly attacked at a metro central school after confronting alleged vandals on Sunday night.

Hammond said the matter was reported to the police and an investigation was under way.

She said schools that were unable to safely return to a traditional timetabling model had to inform the head of department in writing by July 23, of the reasons why.

“Schools that have applied will be notified of the outcome of their application during the course of this week, and that one-metre rule, as contained in the Department of Basic Education Standard Operating Procedures, still remains the main reason for the inability to return safely at full capacity.”

SA Democratic Teachers Union spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said the union was still waiting for reports from the provinces on how the first day of school in the new term was.

Congress of SA Students acting provincial chairperson Zandile Matyeni said they were aware that many learners did not go to school yesterday because of a fear of what might happen to them on the roads or not having transport at all, as many were depending on minibus taxis and scholar transport and non of those were available in some townships.

READ: School dropout rate increased drastically during lockdown

Zero Dropout Campaign programme director Merle Mansfield said it was imperative that schools ramp up their reintegration programmes by tracking absent learners to ascertain why they have not returned to school, and to ensure disengaged learners get the right type of support.

“To get our learners back to class, we need schools and households to work together, each recognising their joint responsibility in supporting learners to stay in school,” said Mansfield.

IOL

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The report found that some groups among children experience higher rates of illness and that among all deaths in individuals aged younger than 19 years, 38.4% were among adolescents aged 15-19 years and 31.8% were aged under one year.

“Children with underlying conditions made up 19.3% of children admitted with Covid-19 but 56% of those who died. The most commonly reported underlying conditions among those admitted were chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, HIV and tuberculosis (active and previous). HIV, diabetes and tuberculosis were common among those who died,” reads the study.

Tendesayi Kufa-Chakezha, a medical doctor by training and PhD Epidemiology from the University of Amsterdam, said since the onset of the third wave to the peak, the fraction of all Covid-19 cases aged 19 years or younger was averaging 14.6% as opposed to around 9% in the first and second waves.

Kufa-Chakezha said half of the cases in South Africa were occurring in older teens and adolescents of ages 15-19, bringing the case rate in this group on par with adults older than 19 years.

READ: Teacher union questions return to school amid strong third wave Covid-19 infections

Cheryl Cohen, co-author of the study and co-head of the Centre for Respiratory Disease and Meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases said the Delta variant could have a greater predilection for children, although there is not yet any conclusive data to support this.

Cohen said South African children are not yet eligible for Covid-19 vaccination and may not be for a while.

According to research, some countries in Europe and North America have opened up vaccination to children between 12 and 16 years even though coverage in this age group is still low.

Cohen said as more children are vaccinated in these countries, more data on side effects and effectiveness will be collected and many lessons will be pulled to inform rollout for children in the country.

“Lessons will be learnt and used in the South African setting,” she said.

Adding that there is a case for the expedited vaccination of children with underlying conditions and older teens and adolescents based on burden of cases and hospitalisations in these two groups respectively.

Cohen said reasons children have not being prioritised at the moment in South Africa could include the lower risk of disease as well as the need to prioritise the elderly.

READ: Schools remain shut in 19 countries including South Africa

“Also, the country still has limited information on the efficacy and safety of the vaccines in children. This, as well as the limited number of vaccines which are licensed for use in children may be other reasons,” she said.

Sibongile Walaza, Medical Epidemiologist at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and Lecturer at the School of Public Health at Wits University said some groups among children experience higher rates of illness and these reasons bear for more discussion.

“The increased case rates in older teens and adolescents, at rates similar to adults older than 19 years in the third wave, requires monitoring,” said Walaza.

Adding that the higher rates among children could be due to generally increased testing in children in the third wave, “more testing would pick up more cases, including mild or asymptomatic ones,” she said.

“Or increasing vaccination rates among adults, leaving younger individuals contributing more cases,” said Walaza.

The post Teenagers are acquiring Covid-19 at rates similar to adults appeared first on Inside Education..

Nzimande said precautionary suspension is placed following forensic investigations into the National Skills fund.

In May, Brigade Mkhuleko Hlengwa who is Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the National Chairperson of the IFP Youth Brigade Mkhuleko Hlengwa held a meeting in the form of hearing to learn about the state of affairs of the National Skills Fund (NSF).

According to the minutes of the meeting, the committee was concerned that in the most recent audit by the AG, the AG the said she was “unable to express an opinion as to the financial state of the NSF given that many of its invoices were not deemed to be sufficient proof of the expenditure of public funds”.

The Public Finance Management Act states that when an auditor issues a disclaimer of opinion report, it means that they are distancing themselves from providing any opinion at all related to the financial statements.

In attendance of the SCOPA meeting was the NSF CEO Mvuyisi Macikama, Nzimande and Qonde.

The point of the meeting was to discuss the deteriorating audit outcomes over the past three years and, according to the minutes, the committee said it “did not find the responses [from the higher education department] to be satisfactory” and wanted to know who the minister would hold to account and what he (the minister) would do and the committee called for a forensic investigation into the NSF.

Nzimande said he has been concerned about the deteriorating state of affairs at the NSF for some time now, as evidenced by the progressively worse audit outcomes over the last few years.

“If one only looks at the AG findings in its 2019/20 audit opinion, it is significantly different to the qualified audit opinion of the previous year. The AG is saying that the NSF has failed in its duty to keep records evidencing its skills development expenditure,” said Nzimande.

Adding that, “AGSA is saying is that the NSF has failed in its duty to keep records evidencing its skills development expenditure”.

Without this evidence, “… AGSA is saying that it cannot express an opinion on the financial statements of the NSF, and is thus unable to give an audit assurance that the NSF skills development expenditure was regular.

“More seriously, AGSA is saying that it cannot say that the money was spent for what it was allocated. This is a very serious finding which he takes seriously,” said the minister.

Following this May meeting, Nzimande released a statement last Friday that Qonde has been suspended with immediate effect.

Qonde is one of the longest-serving DGs in government as he has been in charge of the department after the split of the department of education into two; basic education and higher education, more than 10 years ago.

In his defense, Qonde told the committee that he was unable to present some of the evidence required by AGSA “only because this information had never before been collected by NSF”.

He said a lack of capacity was a major issue the AG raised the previous year.

The NSF has human resource capacity issues in various areas. He said the AG report also raised the lack of capacity regarding NSF operations as an issue.

“The management of the NSF as constituted under the accounting officer has a few executive positions, one of which is the CFO.

“The previous CFO resigned at the end of December. The new CFO has just come into the office and has been there for about a month or so,” said Qonde.

The DG also added that the NSF also finds it difficult to monitor third party service providers hired by NSF-funded are Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

“The third parties are appointed by the TVET colleges and not the NSF.

“This is what the AG is picking up on. This is why, amongst other things, a complete review of the NSF’s standard operating procedures [is necessary], so that the gaps that exist in monitoring and accountability are tightened up,” said Qonde.

Adding that going forward, the AG also indicated that there would now be the requirement not only to have the School Development Plans (SDP) invoices it receives as proof for payment but also the underlying third-party source documents.

“These would now be required to be held on the premises of NSF. We now need these underlying documents in order to obtain an unqualified audit,” he added.

Qonde said it was important to note that he is not the accounting officer of NSF but that he is the accounting officer of the the department of higher education and training.

According to some media reports, Qonde has alleged that Nzimande has mistreated him and frustrated his efforts to do his job and said he must not be suspended. Adding that his efforts to address the audit outcomes had been thwarted by Nzimande.

Nzimande said the DG’s suspension is in terms of the Public Service Act and the SMS handbook, in the wake of a disclaimer audit opinion by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA).

He said Dr Phil Mjwara was appointed following Qonde’s precautionary suspension and will serve as acting DG until the conclusion of the investigations and any process that may ensue thereafter.

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The order states the plans should be put in place even when schools are closed because of Covid-19 or learners are at home because of rotating timetables. 

This court order was confirmed last week.

Equal Education Communications Officer said this is a victory for learners’ rights to basic nutrition, basic education, equality and dignity.

“We are hopeful that the new plans that the DBE and provincial education departments have been ordered to develop to improve the rollout of the NSNP, can guarantee that it reaches every single learner who qualifies for it,” said Cyster.

This new court order comes after Equal Education (EE) and two Limpopo school governing bodies, represented by SECTION27 and the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC), went back to court on 29 June.

READ: Over 2 Million Learners Still Not Receiving Food From Basic Education Department, Says Equal Education

The NGOs said the court order was set against the DBE and the MECs of eight provincial education departments for failing to ensure that the NSNP reaches every qualifying learner, despite a judgment handed down last year that demanded that they fulfil this responsibility.

EELC Media and Communications Coordinator Tad Khosa said the they went back to the court to get the education departments to submit progress reports on the rollout of the NSNP.

“This is what like the 2020 court order told them to do but they have failed to do since March 2021.

“We also asked the court  to tell education officials to develop and implement practical and realistic plans for the NSNP which respond to the new realities of schooling during Covid-19, and for monthly reports to be submitted  on the implementation of these plans,” said Khosa. 

He added that the situation had became more and more urgent, with qualifying learners not being able to get meals  because of barriers such as not having scholar transport and poor communication from education officials with school communities.

“The mental, physical and financial impact that food insecurity has on learners and their families is tragic, and unacceptable,” he said. 

READ: 1.5 million learners have not yet received their food from the school mandated programmes

Khosa said in response to their return to court, the legal representatives of the national and provincial education departments proposed that the organisations negotiate a legal settlement. 

“On 20 July, the settlement agreement was made an order of court. This agreement contains clear commitments for the existing systems for the delivery of the NSNP to be revised, and for reasonable timeframes for implementation,” he said.

According to the court order, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and the provincial education departments will formulate and implement revised rollout plans within one month of signing the settlement agreement. They are to ensure that all qualifying learners receive a daily meal under the NSNP, whether at school or at home.

Julia Chaskalson, SECTION27 Communications Officer said the need to feed every qualifying learner during the school calendar year, regardless of whether schools are closed due to Covid-19 or whether learners are at home because of a rotational timetable is critical.

Chaskalson said the DBE and the provincial education departments need to communication plans that ensure learners and schooling stakeholders are aware that meals are being provided.

These plans should also include the manner in which meals will be provided and the availability of scholar transport where applicable.

“These revised plans must be filed with us and with the court within one month.

“After this,  monthly reports must be filed with us and the court describing the implementation of the revised plans explaining if the steps taken have succeeded, as well as what further steps will be taken to ensure that the plans succeed,” said Chaskalson.

The organisations said they welcome the court order and celebrate this victory for over nine million learners and the millions of households whose food security has been compromised during the Covid-19 lockdown and the current unrest within South Africa. 

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At the launch of the vaccination site, Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela said the event marked an important milestone for at the university.

Mabizela said Rhodes University has assisted in the fight against Covid-19 in various ways since the start of the pandemic through various task teams, departments and faculties.

“The vaccination site marks the latest development and aims to increase the availability of the number of sites to vaccinate the adult population by March 2022,” said the vice-chancellor.

The Rhodes University Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and Chairperson of the Coronavirus Task Team (CVRTT), Dr Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, said the vaccination site fits in with the goal of CVRTT.

The task team aims to develop and implement a strategy that mitigates the impact of Covid-19 on our staff and students and to ensure continuity of our academic programme, she said.

According to the framework set out by Higher Health, once all the Rhodes University staff and students eligible for vaccination under the current national rollout plan have been vaccinated, family members and the greater Makhanda community will be vaccinated at the site.

“Our partnering with Sarah Baartman Department of Health in becoming an outreach vaccination site means that we will be able to contribute meaningfully to the vaccination drive of the wider Makhanda community and the Province of the Eastern Cape,” said Mabizela

Adding that due to limited resources, the university aims to vaccinate 80 to 100 people per day in the beginning and hopes to increase this number to 200 per day.

Rhodes University academic and virology specialist Professor Rosie Dorrington was at the site launch to encourage those who may be hesitant about receiving their vaccine.

Dorrington said the vaccine is the only way that people will avoid serious illness and possible hospitalisation from this virus.

“In my opinion, this is the most serious health threat humankind has faced in the last 100 years, and this is the most serious virus that we will face in our lifetime,” said Dorrington.

She said within ten days of the first jab, there is a 90% chance of not ending up in the hospital and being seriously ill from Covid-19. And added that the second dose reminds your body to fight off the virus and gives long-term immunity.

“We are not helpless, nor are we without agency in confronting this menacing coronavirus. There are actions we can take to protect ourselves and those around us,” said Mabizela.

Mabizela said this was a significant contribution in the implementation of the National Strategy of the Department of Health, Department Higher Education, Science and Innovation and Higher Health.

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According to reports, security has been heightened in the area. Members of the SANDF and the SAPS were visible in the area.

MEC for Education in Kwazulu-Natal Kwazi Mshengu there has been lots of anxiety and fears from both the parents and the learners from both the African and Indian communities.

We have been inundated with a lot of calls that have said, how can we guarantee the safety of the learners as they return to school today, he said.

“And our message has been clear that the safety is all of our responsibility. As the [provincial] department of education we can guarantee them [parents and learners] that while the children are within the school premises, we can guarantee their safety because we are in control of this environment.

“But we have also worked very hard with the police and the law enforcement agencies to ensure that there is heightened police visibility in the area as we know that area is dealing with tensions within the two groupings within this community,” said Mshengu.

READ: Lack of education has resulted in poverty and unemployment

Racial tensions between the predominantly Indian population of Phoenix and neighbouring informal settlements of Amaoti, Bhambayi and Zwelisha and were sparked following unrest in the area.

Some residents turned into vigilante groups, taking arms and indiscriminately killing black Africans seen in the area.

The vigilante group said they were protecting themselves against the province-wide riots that saw some properties and businesses burned down.

38 black Africans were reported killed by vigilante groups in Phoenix and elsewhere, said Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal Premier.

Zikalala addressed media on to update the people of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa on obtaining situation on the ground and the programme to rebuild his province again.

The premier said they are extremely concerned about the reported vigilante linked murders in Phoenix “in which at least 38 people are reported to have been killed by vigilante groups”.

“Those who died in the unrest include Africans and Indians, although the proportion of Africans who died is much higher. So far at least five people have been arrested and more arrests are still expected. The arrests are critical in enforcing the rule of law without fear or favour,” said Zikalala.

Mshengu said he visited Phoenix and neighbouring communities to have extensive talks with community stakeholders to ensure teacher and pupil safety before schools re-opened.

He said they were satisfied with the responses and readily prepared for today.

READ: Schools to open on Monday

“We have been preparing for the last two weeks. All is going on well. Schools are opening [and] teachers have been vaccinated. Covid is now a step behind us, and we are focusing on teaching and learning,” he said.

On Saturday, during her media briefing, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said 139 schools were looted and damaged in KwaZulu-Natal and they will cost an estimated R300 million to repair.

Motshekga said it was mostly computers, television sets, school nutrition supplies, Covid-19 essentials and kitchen equipment were looted in KwaZulu-Natal schools.

She said some schools had their classrooms and administration blocks torched. While doors, windows, and furniture were broken and destroyed.

“This senseless attack on education infrastructure included the vandalising of ablution blocks and plumbing equipment, the destruction of water supplies including theft of school water tanks, the ripping off of electric wires especially copper cables, the ripping off school fences, as well as setting alight libraries, textbooks and stationery,” she said.

She added that ICT equipment and the National School Nutrition Programme supplies and equipment were targeted the most.

“What is saddening is that most schools were left with serious structural damages, which would place the safety of learners and teachers at risk,” she said.

In his weekly newsletter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned what he called “acts of vigilantism” in Phoenix.

The president came under heavy criticism after failing to mention the Phoenix killings in his address to the nation on Sunday evening where he confirmed schools are on track to open on Monday.

In his newsletter, Ramaphosa said the Phoenix massacre would not be tolerated. He said the massacre is regarded as criminal conduct by the authorities.

“We do know from official reports and personal accounts that people were racially profiled at illegal roadblocks. Some people were pulled out of cars and beaten, and some were humiliated and degraded,” wrote Ramaphosa on Monday.

He added: “Several people were killed. Much of what has happened is the inevitable outcome when people take the law into their own hands.

“Vigilantism will not be tolerated in this country. It is criminal and it is dangerous. Since calm has been restored to the affected areas, our law enforcement agencies are investigating all acts of criminality.”

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Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) National Media Executive Andre de Bruyn said the union finds the opening of schools not only “irresponsible but it seems the department of basic education does not care for the lives of our children and those in our communities”.

De Bruyn added that other teacher unions supporting the reopening of schools are not interested in protecting their members, learners and teachers but would rather hold the interest of the employer.

“Four days before 26 July, South Africa was experiencing a large infection rate of about 16250 new infections and 500 plus deaths in 24 hours,” said de Bruyn.

The union called for a two-week postponement regarding the re-opening of schools “on condition that South Africa brings infections down to under 1000 in 24 hours,” added de Bruyn.

Adding that while government officials continue to work from home and the canvassing on political parties ahead of municipal elections have been postponed, schools are loaded with learners and are told to return to full capacity teaching by August 2.

READ: Schools to return to traditional and daily attendance on 2 August

“There is nothing safe about opening schools and the most vulnerable of the schools are the poorest of the poor. We say no to normal school (sic) in an abnormal society,” he said.

Just on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that schools will re-open on Monday. Ramaphosa said the opening of schools will adhere to health protocols and other measures announced by the Minister of Basic Education.

The president said the latest figures on Covid-19 infections suggest that the country has largely passed the peak of the third wave of infections.

“The measures that we put in place for the past 28 days, alongside the continued adherence of South Africans to basic health precautions, have been effective in reducing the rate of infection.

“The average number of daily new infections over the last week was around 12,000 new cases a day, which represents a 20 per cent drop from the previous week.

“In the last two weeks, the number of new infections in Gauteng – which has been the epicentre of the third wave – has steadily been declining,” said Ramaphosa.

He added that although the infection rate in Gauteng is beginning to fall, daily new infections in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal continue to rise.

There has also been a concerning rise of infections in the Northern Cape after a period of relative stability,” he said.

READ: Schools to open on Monday

In her media briefing on Saturday morning on the state of readiness schools ahead of the third term’s opening, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said more than 1 650 teachers died due to Covid-19 related complications between March 2020 and February this year.

However, Motshekga said this number can be considered a modest figure. Adding that the vaccination programme will help lesson the numbers of hospitalisation and deaths.

Adding that the lack of school attendance will be more devastating for learners who may never be able to catch up unless they return to full-time schooling.

“Every study that has been conducted, shows that a generational catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes daily. Something had to be done and still needs to be done to arrest the academic losses,” Motshekga said.

Motshekga said the sector had held countless consultative sessions to deliberate on the reopening of schools.

READ: It will be “devastating” if schools don’t open on 19 July – says Motshekga

She added that based on the information obtained from the provinces, schools are ready to continue to work within the established Covid-19 health protocols, also to start resuming full school attendance in primary schools from August 2.

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Social activists applauded the move and saying that the grant will also help those between the ages of 15 and 24 years, an age group “most frustrated and impacted by unemployment, poverty and inequality”.

In his address on the progress in the national effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, Ramaphosa said his government will also extend the grant to unemployed child caregivers who previously did not qualify. 

“This evening we are announcing a range of measures to support the recovery of the economy and provide relief to the poor and those who are vulnerable as a result of the measures that we had to impose to deal with Covid-19.

“To support those who have no means of supporting themselves, we are reinstating the Social Relief of Distress Grant to provide a monthly payment of R350 until the end of March 2022,” said the president.

Adding that the re-introduction of the grant has been made possible by the slight improvement the South African Revenue Service has seen in its revenue collection.

Ramaphosa’s announcement comes after unrest that took place this month across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.

READ: Let them eat cake: hunger and food riots in South Africa

The violence led to loss of more than 200 lives, destruction of more than 50 000 businesses, and attacks on vital infrastructure in these two provinces. The unrest was made worse by a vicious third wave of coronavirus infections.

Ramaphosa was at pains to say the looting and violence were an insurrection against the state by supporters of former President Jacob Zuma who say the former president was arrested without trial.

But some civil society organisations disagree.

According to the Budget Justice Coalition (BCJ), the actions of the last two weeks have complex and varying motivations.

“These include food and economic insecurity which have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the weaknesses within the state to address this, as well as factionalism within the ruling party,” said the coalition.

Pali Lehohla, former Statistician General at Statistics South Africa said unemployment for those who are between the age of 15 to 24 and this group’s lack of education is one of the reasons a Basic Income Grant (BIG) is crucial.

“Now when we look at who are the poor, we realise that those with no education are poor.

“Those with primary education remain very poor and those with secondary education are still poor because secondary education does not take you out of poverty.

“But once you have higher education, the reduction in your poverty is massive. And you are eight times less likely to be poor when you have higher education,” said Lehohla.

He asked how much evidence does government need to implement BIG.

“There are a million fewer people employed in this age group 15 to 24. There are about 500k to 600k fewer employed in the age group 25 to 34.

READ: Ramaphosa has no plausible strategy for reducing youth unemployment

“When we have this situation of last week it does not surprise because these people do not see any future. So, we see that yes, we have a looting and the brazing to the ground of property.  

“We cannot be surprised. We have the evidence,” said the former statistician general.

It is because of this situation that the Budget Justice Coalition demanded that the president look for broader and more concrete steps necessary to address the root causes of the violence and looting.

Ramaphosa should address the “hunger, poverty, inequality and factionalism and criminality within the ruling party”. Adding that government should demonstrate its commitment to socio-economic rights as well as the rule of law.

“Government must implement a Universal Basic Income Grant to fulfil the right to social security for all and it must immediately reinstate the Covid SRD grant and the Covid Caregiver Allowance for the remainder of the 2021/22 financial year and increase both to the food poverty line of R585 per month,” they said.

The coalition said the South African government must listen to the public, turn the page, and recognise that economic growth alone will not solve our deep structural challenges and that a redistribution of wealth, income and opportunity is essential.

“Social and economic justice can only be achieved through greater and more meaningful social solidarity between elites and the majority,” said the coalition.

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The president’s announcement comes a day after the country’s Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, inferred the same in her media briefing on Saturday morning.

The minister said the reopening pf schools hinges on the president’s announcement.

Motshekga said the School Management Teams and support staff, have already gone back to work, as from Thursday, 22 July to prepare for the return of learners and teachers.

READ: Motshekga: schools ready to reopen, waiting on Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Sunday

Adding that based on the information obtained from provinces, schools are ready to continue to work within the established Covid-19 health protocol, and they are also ready to resume full school attendance in the primary schools from 2 August.

In his address on the progress in the national effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa confirmed the re-opening of schools.

 He said the schools will open in accordance with strict health protocols and other measures announced by the Minister of Basic Education.

The president said overall, the decline in new infections means that it is possible to gradually ease some of the restrictions on gatherings, movement and other restrictions.

He said based on the recommendations of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19, and inputs from the President’s Coordinating Council, as week as Cabinet decided that the country should be moved from Adjusted Alert Level 4 and be placed on Adjusted Alert Level 3.

The latest figures on Covid-19 infections suggest that the country has largely passed the peak of the third wave of infections.

There are, however, areas in the country where citizens should still be concerned because the rates of infection have not yet shown signs of decline.

READ: 130 schools damaged by KZN Shutdown riots

“The measures that we put in place for the past 28 days, alongside the continued adherence of South Africans to basic health precautions, have been effective in reducing the rate of infection.

“The average number of daily new infections over the last week was around 12,000 new cases a day, which represents a 20 per cent drop from the previous week.

“In the last two weeks, the number of new infections in Gauteng – which has been the epicentre of the third wave – has steadily been declining,” said Ramaphosa.

He added that although the infection rate in Gauteng is beginning to fall, daily new infections in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZuluNatal continue to rise.

There has also been a concerning rise of infections in the Northern Cape after a period of relative stability,” he said.

He added that the infections prevalent in all these cases are being driven by the Delta variant, which according to the Department of Health is far more transmissible than previous variants.

The post Schools to open on Monday appeared first on Inside Education..

Eight coaches from UP will also be in Tokyo to give advice to the athletes. One UP referee also made part of the team.

Sprinter Akani Simbine and swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker, who are alumni of the university, are tipped to make South African sporting history during the Games. Simbine aims to become the first South African sprinter to win a medal in the 100 metres since Reggie Walker at the 1908 London Olympics.

In the history of South African athletics, only five sprinters have competed in a 100m-final at the Olympics.

Simbine did so in 2016 in Rio. He finished fifth in a time of 9.94s.

Just over two weeks ago, he won the short sprint, running 9.84s in Hungary. Only Trayvon Bromell (USA) has been faster this season, clocking a time of 9.77s in June in Florida.

READ: ‘Siyaya eJapan, Tokyo here we come,’ say UJ sportsmen, women in SA squad

It was during the Monaco Diamond League Meeting, where Simbine finished second, running a time of 9.98s, that he genuinely proved that he could gain a medal in Tokyo.  

UP swimmer, Tatjana Schoenmaker, is also looking to bring home medals.

“I am impressed by Tatjana’s recent performances. I think she has a realistic chance to medal at the Games. The only unanswered question is what the colour of the medal might be. To me, it is exciting that she is also a breaststroker,” said South Africa’s swimming champ Penny Heyns.

Schoenmaker is tipped to medal in the 200m-breaststroke. The Africa record (2:20.17) she set in April is the fastest time this season. She won a silver medal during the 2019 World Championships.

South Africa’s fours rowing crew comprising John Smith, Lawrence Brittain, Kyle Schoonbee and Sandro Torrente, all also UP Rowers, stand a realistic chance of winning medals.

READ: Wits University hockey player heads for Tokyo Olympics

Sport commentators have said there is also a real chance that South Africa could bring home a medal in the 4x100m-relay.

This is because the team won gold during the World Relay Championships. Tuks sprinters Simbine, Gift Leotlela and Clarence Munyai, comprised ¾ of the team.

UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe wished the team well at the Olympics.

“As Captain of the UP ship, I am extremely proud of the athletes, coaches, current students and alumni who will fly the South African flag in Tokyo. The Olympic Games are the ultimate showcase of sporting excellence and for UP to be well represented in this manner highlights our sporting excellence and strides taken in edging closer to being a global sporting powerhouse,” said Kupe.

He reminded the Olympians that winning and losing also go hand-in-hand.

“If you lose, don’t give up. Instead, it is essential to reflect on what went wrong. Learn from your mistakes. And when you win, try and understand what made you a winner. Athletes should also remember that you are only as good as your last contest. The challenge is always to be better tomorrow than you were today,” he said.

READ: Ntuli brothers set to represent South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics

UP Sports Director and acting CEO of the High Performance Centre Steven Ball said, “We are extremely proud of the resilience shown by our #StripeGeneration.

“Our athletes have risen to the occasion and shown excellence in qualifying to represent our country at the Olympic Games. In a time when the nation can feel quite hopeless, we truly believe that these Olympians can provide hope. We know that they will do everything in their power to represent themselves, their families, the university and  especially our country to the best of their abilities.”

He asked the country to support the university’s athletes and coaches and more importantly the entire Team SA.

“They deserve our support as we look to each of them for inspiration, as beacons of hope to us all, that through hard work, dedication, resilience and unwavering focus, we can all achieve something great,” said Ball.

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Gathered under the hot sun, dozens of women danced and sang in jubilation as children from the village of Salima, in central Malawi, started their first day at their new 3D-printed school, which had been built from the ground up in only 15 hours.

Made of concrete placed layer by layer through a computer-controlled nozzle, the school is made up of a single room with rounded corners and is big enough to accommodate 50 students.

Olipa Elisa said her 10-year-old son used to have to hike 5km (3 miles) every day to the nearest school, often arriving late and exhausted.

“I am very excited that we now have a school closer to my home, and my child will not have to take the long journey,” said Elisa, 38. “What we need is more of these learning blocks to accommodate other classes.”

Run by 14Trees, a joint venture between Swiss cement manufacturer LafargeHolcim and British development finance agency CDC Group, the project was faster, cheaper and less energy-intensive than conventional construction, said 14Trees managing director Francois Perrot.

Its success shows how 3D printing could be transformative in Africa, where there is a dire shortage of classroom space, he said.

The U.N. children’s agency UNICEF estimates there is a shortfall of 36,000 primary school classrooms in Malawi alone, a gap that Perrot estimates could be closed in 10 years using 3D-printing technology.

“Based on our calculations, if we rely on conventional methods it would take about 70 years to clear that backlog,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an email.

READ: Classroom Management: Popular Remote Lesson Monitoring Program Could Be Exploited To Attack Student PCs

Large-scale 3D printing is gaining steam around the world, with some projects producing a home in just 24 hours of printing time for a few thousand dollars.

By the time 14Trees had built the Salima school – which the company says is the first 3D-printed school in Malawi – it had already printed the walls of a prototype house in the capital Lilongwe in just 12 hours, compared to almost four days using conventional methods.

As well as cutting the time it takes to build a structure, 3D printing also reduces the quantity of materials needed and the amount of carbon emissions produced by up to 70% compared to conventional methods, said Perrot.

As an example of the potential cost savings, he pointed to the “ink”, a dry mixture of cement, sand and additives that is mixed with water to form the concrete used to print the walls.

Perrot said that ink could be made in Malawi instead of being imported, as it was for the pilot school project.

“Manufacturing the ink on the ground will dramatically reduce the cost of the building for buyers and create local jobs in manufacturing,” he said.

“We (also) now have an indigenous Malawian team fully trained to operate the printer.”

READ: Classroom Management: Strategies for Teaching Students Online & Face to Face at the Same Time

‘Double disadvantage’

Limbani Nsapato, country director for Edukans, an international development organisation focused on education, said the shortage of classrooms around Africa is an urgent but overlooked issue.

The average ratio of pupils to teachers in Africa is 40-to-1, he said, but with only about 47,000 classrooms for nearly 5,420,000 students, the ratio in Malawi is closer to 115-to-1.

Overcrowded classrooms lead to poor quality of education because teachers find it difficult to engage with every student in a class, he said.

To accommodate their large numbers of students, many schools move classes outside, but when the weather is bad, classes are often cancelled, Nsapato explained.

“Pupils who live far from school have a double disadvantage because apart from getting (stuck) in congested traffic, they also have to face the challenge of covering long distances, which makes them late for class,” he added.

“This makes them arrive at school tired, leading to poor concentration. Such students often drop out or repeat classes because of poor performance.”

Another company trying to solve that problem is Studio Mortazavi, a global architectural firm that has designed a 3D-printed school in Fianarantsoa, a city in southern Madagascar, for the U.S. nonprofit Thinking Huts.

The school, which is due to be built next year, will be made of concrete and locally sourced construction materials and powered by solar energy, said Amir Mortazavi, founder of Studio Mortazavi.

The project will comprise several pods that can serve different functions, including as classrooms, science labs and dance studios.

Maggie Grout, founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, which is also working with 14Trees on the Madagascar school project, said 3D printing should make the project scalable while keeping down carbon emissions.

But first, the organisation has to make sure it can get the printer to the remote rural areas where classrooms are most needed, so it is currently working on streamlining the printing process on a university campus in Madagascar, she said.

“Once we launch the first school and more people know about our vision, we hope to conceptualize a new printer that is specifically created to be more easily transported to the communities we work together with,” Grout said in an email.

Cost

Catherine Sani, head of the Malawi Institute of Architects, worries that 3D printing may not be the cost-saving solution it is being touted as.

“Given our gross need for quick classrooms, this would indeed seem like a good option given the speed in production,” she said.

“However, we also note (that) this method is quick on a single site, but for multiple sites more 3D-printing equipment would be required, thus making this system very high-cost compared to other methods.”

As companies work on making 3D printing more portable and affordable, Tom Bowden, a trustee for Britain-based charity Building Malawi, said the technology holds promise in parts of the world where lack of funding can often stall or kill essential infrastructure projects.

His organisation builds schools, libraries and sports facilities which are operated by Malawian organisations.

Using earth bag construction or bricks and mortar, it costs about $20,000 to build a double classroom, Bowden said.

“The costs are high, we really can’t find cheaper solutions for the concrete floors, iron sheet roof and metal window frames (and) our build process takes about 10 weeks, depending on the specifications,” he said.

Given all of those issues, “3D printing sounds interesting,” he said.

The post Could 3D printed schools be ‘transformative’ for education in Africa? appeared first on Inside Education..

This is according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) South Africa representative, Christine Muhigana, who said countries like South Africa need to “reimagine education”.

Muhigana called on all stakeholders in the education sector, globally and locally, to help give learners access to devices, data and skills necessary to navigate online resources.

She said without these many children will be left behind amid the coronavirus pandemic that forced schools in the country to shut down.

The impact of disrupted education since the Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa has been devastating, with learners between 75% and a full school year behind where they should be, according to latest statistics. 

Difficulties included rotational attendance, sporadic school closures and days off for specific grades, have resulted in school children losing 54% of learning time. 

According to the National Income Dynamics Study — Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) some 400,000 to 500,000 learners have reportedly also dropped out of school altogether over the past 16 months.

READ: School dropout rate increased drastically during lockdown

Muhigana said this is most likely for children living in informal urban and rural settings, with household poverty also playing a critical role.

She said the total number of out of school children is now up to 750,000.  

“The reality is that South Africa cannot afford to lose another learner or another hour of learning time,” said Muhigana.

“It is urgent that we get every child back into the classroom, safely, now,” she said.  

Muhigana said the education system cannot afford any further shocks, such as the recent unrest which resulted in more than 140 schools being vandalized in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

This comes on the back of the more than 2,000 schools that were looted and damaged during the hard Covid-19 lockdown last year, she said.

READ: 130 schools damaged by KZN Shutdown riots

Muhigana said in the longer-term, the skills needed to transition into working lives will be affected.

She said evidence also shows that when children are out of school, women are twice as likely to take on childcare responsibilities, affecting their ability to work or search for work,” she said  

“Remote learning has been a lifeline for some children but for the most vulnerable in South Africa, even this was out of reach,” said Muhigana. 

“We need to ensure that we prioritize vulnerable girls and boys in all our efforts to keep children in classrooms,” added Muhigana.  

Adding that the twin burden of Covid-19 and recent disruptions equally affects teachers, supporting and improving their well-being should be a priority.

Muhigana said the basic education sector must take advantage of emerging technologies to accelerate education service delivery will help regain the ground lost.

She said following the Covid-19 outbreak, education had to be quick and adopt to rotational classes, as well as access to online, radio and TV educational resources.  

“We are glad that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is hosting the first ever ‘Teacher Wellness Seminar’ and that Unicef is committed to provide its full support to the education sector,” she added.  

According to the DBE website, the national department, in collaboration with teacher unions, international and multilateral partners as well as the Education Labour Relations Council will host the first ever teacher appreciation and support seminar on Friday.

This is part of the basic education sector’s response to the impact of Covid-19 on schooling.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga will address the Virtual Teacher Appreciation and Support Programme Conversation with key stakeholders.

Muhingana said Unicef will be lending its support to the Department of Basic Education and partners in the ongoing efforts to promote community dialogues that engage parents, caregivers, and community leaders in school life, as well as to increase their ownership over local schools, which in-turn can help ensure their protection. 

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As the fate of contact classes continue to hang by the thread in a world gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Cape Town (UCT) has become the first tertiary institution in Africa to offer an Online High School platform.

Speaking at a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng said affordable, quality education is the most important tool every South African needs as this will qualify them for employment or a university degree.

She said the model would democratise the education system by giving students access to the “most affordable private school” in the country “offering a high-quality education with support from expert teachers and mentors”.

Present at the briefing was UCT Chancellor Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, UCT Council Chairperson Babalwa Ngonyama, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schäfer.

Phakeng said the online high school learners will commence with online classes from January 2022. Grade 12 classes will only start in 2023.

Adding that university said applications for the online classes are officially opened.

“This is the only way we can close the inequality gap in this country,” said Phakeng.

Adding that the online high school is not only a necessity for the university sector, but for everybody in the country.

READ: 130 schools damaged by KZN Shutdown riots

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in closure of schools not only in South Africa but across the world, which has raised concerns of learners missing out on a lot.

Since the start of the pandemic, learners in South Africa have been returning to school based on the statistics of the virus and waves that have gripped the nation.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa called for the closure of schools as the third wave of the virus hit South African shores, with numbers increasing drastically by the day.

READ: Schools remain shut in 19 countries including South Africa

Schools are set to reopen next week, however, that will be determined by the president’s address on whether the country will be on a different alert level.

Educators Union of South Africa’s (EUSA) spokesperson Kabelo Mahlobongwane said it is high time the country moved to other forms of teaching and learning.

“The world is moving to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the department of basic education should follow suit,” said Mahlobongwane.

Mahlobongwane said they have been calling for the department of basic education to look at ways for teaching and learning not to only happen in classrooms, especially during a pandemic.

UCT partnered with education technology company Valenture Institute and it will be offering online a CAPS-aligned curriculum for learners in grades 8 to 12.

“This announcement is very exciting for education in South Africa. The personalised learning experience is welcome and in line with what more people are desiring,” said Western Cape MEC for Education Debbie Schäfer.

Schäfer said Covid has shown that education can be done differently and whilst it will not be for everyone at this stage, it can assist offering different options.

“I am particularly excited about the free online content and have asked the Western Cape education department to consider how we could use this in our system,” added Schäfer.

Phakeng said the university’s online high school will allow learners to have the option to attend the most affordable private school in the country offering a high quality education with support from expert teachers and mentors.

It will also include an entirely free online school platform, with a high-quality, interactive curriculum for any teacher and learner to use for a broad range of South African CAPS subjects.

“UCT will continue to be the best university in Africa, and the best university for Africa. But we will now offer a top-level high school education, not just to a select group of learners, but to all high school students on the continent,” said Phakeng.

The school has two offerings: the formal high school where students are enrolled at a fee of R2,095 a month, the second is access to a free zero-rated platform for the general public to access the curriculum without mentorship or tutoring.

Phakeng said learners will not follow a standardised teaching schedule with live classes but have asynchronous timetables and access to one-on-one as well as group sessions with teachers.

Applications for the school are open and can be accessed at www.uctonlinehighschool.com.

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The organisation made the call ahead of the Nelson Mandela Day, following a week of unrest in the country resulting in the deaths of at least three children – a 15-year old boy a 14-year old boy and a 14-year old girl.

Christine Muhigana, Unicef South Africa representative said the organisation is devastated for the individuals, families and communities affected.

READ: Nzimande says the food prices following unrests will affect students

“We’ve also seen widely shared and shocking images of a two-year-old girl thrown from a building to be saved from a fire in Durban, with other social media content showing the participation of children in looting,” said Muhigana.

The riots came at a time when the country is battling a third Covid-19 wave. With schools already closed due to high infection rates, children are more at risk of being caught up in or involved in unrest, said Muhigana.

She added that the safeguarding of children from voluntary or encouraged involvement in the lawlessness is critical and that communities must come together to protect children.

“Law enforcement agencies also need to exercise restraint and protect children at every step of the way, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and national legal instruments,” she said.

Muhugana said the unrest has also affected the country’s Covid-19 response.

“Some vaccination sites have temporarily closed, while health clinics have been damaged and medical stocks reportedly looted.

“Just as the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out had been gathering pace, statistics showed a drop in vaccinations in areas where the unrest was at its worst. This puts more lives at risk. Large crowds that are not practicing Covid-19 prevention measures could further fuel the spread of the virus,” said Muhigana.

READ: Education sector vaccination drive falls short

Routine child and family health services have also been disrupted.

According to Unicef the national routine immunisation coverage for children under one year is at 79%, already 4% below pre-Covid-19 rates and well under the 90% target.

Since schools closed, reports that many children who depend on the National Feeding Scheme did not receive food also circulated.

Education activists and school governing bodies have returned to the courts to fight for school meals for learners.

Equal Education and the school governing bodies (SGBs) of two Limpopo schools, represented by SECTION27 and the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) said they are returning to court against the Department of Basic Education and provincial education departments for failing to rollout the National School Nutrition Programme to every single eligible learner in South Africa, for over a year.

This plight was further exacerbated by riots that saw more disruptions to food supplies.

According to Communication Specialist for Unicef South Africa Sudeshan Reddy the latest figures show that child hunger has not declined from the high rate of 14% and that three million children live in households affected by hunger.

“Screening for malnutrition in the early days and years of life, promoting breastfeeding and improving education on good nutrition can help but only when there is access to nutritious food for all,” said Reddy.

Unicef also called on the country’s government to prioritise the issue of youth unemployment.

According to UJ Professor and associate at the Centre for Social Development in Africa Lauren Graham,  youth unemployment is one of South Africa’s most intractable challenges and has been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Prior to the pandemic the unemployment rate, including people who had given up looking for work was just under 70% for people aged 15 to 24. A year later [in 2021] the rate had increased to 74.7%,” said Graham.

READ: Let them eat cake: hunger and food riots in South Africa

Graham added that young people on the continent are the most affected by unemployment and underemployment and they are struggling to survive.

“They are poor and are stuck in ‘waithood’ –a prolonged period of suspension in which people’s access to social adulthood is delayed or denied,” she said.

Unicef’s Muhigana said South Africa’s level of youth unemployment, at nearly 75%, is unsustainable.

“Initiatives such as Generation Unlimited, which brings together the private sector, academia, government, the United Nations and many others are working to provide young people with relevant 21st century skills, mentorship as well as supporting young entrepreneurs so some of the most vulnerable young people can transition into working lives,” she said.

Adding that it is child and youth-led actions that give expression to Madiba’s words that children are the “rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people”.

“As we move forward, we must give children every opportunity to do just that,” said Muhigana.

The post Unicef devastated at images of unrest, riots and killings in South Africa appeared first on Inside Education..

Early Childhood Development (ECD) staff will be part of the 240 000 workforce who will get vaccinated as part of the Social Developments sectors vaccine rollout. 

The vaccination drive kicked off on Monday and is set to end on 23 July. 

Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu said they anticipated that the vaccine rollout programme will target just over 240 000 workforce throughout the sector.

Zulu said the roll-out plan will enable business continuity of our social services currently in high demand as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“The department has been working with the ECD Inter-Sectoral Forum to ensure that no-one is left behind, given that ECDs remain open whilst schools are closed and practitioners are equally at risk of the contracting the virus,” said Zulu. 

According to the department’s spokesperson, Lumka Oliphant, the vaccination drive on Monday kicked off in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West and Northern Cape provinces.

Western Cape and Limpopo will begin their provincial roll-out on Friday.

READ: DBE requests extension for education sector vaccination programme

The department says  the Early Childhood Development (ECD) workforce is inclusive of ECD practitioners and staff who work in the ECD environment.

Zulu said her department has been working with the ECD Inter-Sectoral Forum to ensure that no-one is left behind.

“This includes all ECDs both registered and unregistered with government, including centre and non-centre-based programmes,” she said.

Adding that ECDs were very important given that they remained open while schools were closed.

“Practitioners are equally at risk of the contracting the virus. We want to highlight that.

“It is important to highlight that only those who are registered on the Department of Health’s Electronic Vaccination Data System system will be eligible for vaccination, as there is no paper-based registration process at vaccination sites.

“Details of all vaccination sites, provincial and district coordinators, including the ECD forum coordinators will be published on DSD National, Provincial Departmental and the Departments’ Agency’s websites,” added the minister.

Oliphant said the department also makes calls upon members of the public to desist from spreading negative information about the vaccine which may cause vaccine hesitancy.

“Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing infection, especially severe illness and death.

“The vaccine reduces the risk of people spreading the virus that causes Covid-19. Covid-19 vaccines are a key tool in ending the pandemic and getting societies back to normal,” she said.

The post ECD workers to get their vaccine from 19 – 23 July appeared first on Inside Education..

Adding that the insane austerity policy that will withdraw R265 billion from economy in the medium-term [three years] and in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, is the reason behind the rioting and social unrest the country saw over the last week.

Isobel Frye, director of The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) – an independent not-for-profit research think tank which focuses on generating new knowledge, information and analysis in the field of poverty and inequality studies – said: “People are rioting because they are hungry, they are completely despondent and they have nothing to lose.”

“We cannot criminalise people who are hungry.

READ: South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis – a ticking time bomb

“The most vulnerable working-age adults are not formally employed, and are at the greatest risk of hardship during the lockdown especially those who are now sitting at home on ‘no work no pay’,” said Frye.

Adding that some people have lost jobs again when Level 4 started, “and with the R350 Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) no longer available, they have no alternative but to go to soup kitchens”.

The jailing of former president Jacob Zuma is believed to have sparked the rampant looting and violent scenes that have played out in the past few days.

Zuma was arrested without trial after being found in contempt of court. The former president is sentenced to 15 months in prison for his repeated refusal to participate in the Zondo Commission’s proceedings.

President Cyril Ramaphosa labelled what followed as an “insurrection,” with protests led by the former president’s supporters spiralling into full-blown riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

In response to on-going social tensions, three leading social justice organisations coordinated an urgent meeting last Friday to forge a multi-pronged national demand for the unconditional commitment to a universal basic income grant (BIG) in South Africa of R1268 per person per month to be introduced within 12 months with the immediate reintroduction of the R350 Special Covid Grant and the R500 monthly Caregivers grant.

READ: Youth unemployment: A catastrophe

Frye asked: “At what point does inequality pose a threat to stability, and will this crisis prompt the government to ensure that poverty is addressed as a matter of urgency? Will we ever achieve a decent standard of living in South Africa?”

The termination of the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant in April, together with ongoing job losses, has resulted in scores of people relying on local soup kitchens for their only meal of the day.

Duma Gqubule, economist and founding director at the Centre for Economic Development and Transformation said “why are we surprised”.

“We have unemployment of 74.7% for youth, 47.9% for Black Africans, 51.5% for Black African women and 50% in Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Then government cuts R36 billion from social grants, ends the Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) of R350 a month and implements an over the top lockdown without humanitarian support,” said Gqubule.

Gqubule said if you ignore the politics and look at The Presidency through an economic lens it has been a disaster.

READ: Ramaphosa has no plausible strategy for reducing youth unemployment

“The part I do not understand is that there is no plan to get us out of the crisis. Does the president really think a security response plus austerity can get us out of this crisis?

“Let us not let President get away with his idea of dehumanising food parcels. Only way out of the crisis is basic income grant,” said Gqubule.

Adding that an SRD grant must start in August at food poverty line of R585. Then BIG must start next year.

He said this net cost after all taxes it will generate will be R90 billion.

“Government has wrongly decided that this is only a security crisis.

“But the National Treasury has cut R39 billion from police budget over three years. It will retrench 18000 cops. It has cut R15 billion from the defence budget. The president must address the political and economic grievances and not waste our time,” he said.

Frye said the rule of law is not an intangible principle against this backdrop.

The rule of law must put bread on people’s tables, and be used to provide warmth, security and well-being, she said.

“The rule of law cannot be exclusively  about protecting people’s vested property. In this most unequal of countries the law needs to champion the fair distribution of the wealth in South Africa,” she added.

She said it is against this backdrop of continuing national unrest and the Covid-19 pandemic that the coalition of civil society organisations [about 40] will seek to draw attention to the plight of the 13 million people living in deepening starvation in South Africa, three million of whom are children.

Inequality and joblessness have turned South Africa into a pressure cooker

Analysts have also warned about the toxic, corrosive impact that economic inequality has on a country’s politics and society at large. “Over the long run, inequality has created a vicious circle,” said University of Oxford professor Diego Sánchez-Ancochea.

“Large income gaps between the poor and the wealthy have been one of the drivers of violence, one of the reasons that Latin America is the region with the highest homicide rate in the world.

“The violence is concentrated in low-income neighborhoods, creating anxiety and personal insecurity and discouraging inward investment, which might create jobs and improve services,” said Sánchez-Ancochea.

READ: Youth unemployment: Is the solution a change in mindset?

According to Statistics South Africa, unemployment – especially for the 18-to-25 age bracket – was already high before the pandemic, which is now hitting South Africa with a third wave.

Youth unemployment is at a record 74.7%, according to government statistics. Hunger has risen sharply. And now businesses that employed and fed thousands of people have been ransacked or burned.

Except for a heavily protected mall, few businesses in one of Johannesburg’s oldest townships, Alexandra, were spared. Even Lillian Dassie’s preschool was looted.

“No other African country has been hit nearly as hard,” said Gqubule.

Adding that he does not understand South Africa’s media obsession with Jacob Zuma.

“It is a diversion from the unfolding public health, humanitarian and economic crises and a government that is clueless on how to address them.

“With these numbers lockdown might last for two months with devastating impact for millions,” said Gqubule.

The killings, as well as the widespread destruction of small, uninsured businesses in townships, underscores the bitter irony of this wave of violence born of anger at inequality.

Most of its victims are the poor and dispossessed.

The post Let them eat cake: hunger and food riots in South Africa appeared first on Inside Education..

Over 30 000 learners might not be able to return to school on 26 July given the looting and riots that targeted KwaZulu-Natal schools last week.

KwaZulu-Natal Education Spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi told Inside Education on Monday that about 130 schools in his province were vandalised and some even torched amid riots and lootings following the unrest that took place last week in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.

Reports state that the immediate trigger for the unrest was the jailing of the country’s former president, Jacob Zuma.

 Zuma was arrested without trial after being found in contempt of court. The former president is sentenced to 15 months in prison for his repeated refusal to participate in the Zondo Commission’s proceedings.

President Cyril Ramaphosa labelled what followed as an “insurrection,” with protests led by the former president’s supporters spiralling into full-blown riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

READ: Nzimande says the food prices following unrests will affect students

Major highways were blocked, trucks burned, shops and even schools and medical offices ransacked. The army wasdeployed, but the upheaval still wreaked about R15 billion in damage and led to many being killed amid stampedes and clashes with police and rioters.

The insurrection took a surprising turn when on Wednesday schools became the focus of attack.

Radha Roopsingh School just outside Stanger, KZN was shown burning. The office was burned to ashes and equipment including photocopying machines taken from the school premises.

Basic Education Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga told Inside Education there is no budget to fix the schools.

“There is no budget available. This will affect teachers in the same way it affects learners,” said Mhlanga.

In an interview with Inside Education, KZN education spokesperson said the implications are huge and there are some schools that have to delay reopening because the provincial department is now forced to provide them with mobile classrooms.

Mahlambi said they do not even have the money to provide mobile classrooms for the affected schools.

 “We do not have the budget, these incidents come when we already have budget cuts in the department this financial year in the region of R6.2 billion.

“This will cause an even bigger financial constraint than we had before all the unrest happened.

“Already, some programmes were cut off, this means a further cut when it comes to programmes for teaching and learning. The situation will be worse,” said Mahlambi.

Adding that due to the budget cuts, the department had to scale down some programmes it had planned for the year, including repairs at schools affected by a storm in 2019 and those that were vandalised during the Covid-19 Level 5 lockdown last year.

READ: DBE budget cuts increase inequalities between poor and privileged schools

“We had not finished attending those challenges, and now there is this new financial burden that comes on our shoulders – the very same tired shoulders – which collapses us all together in terms of how we move forward,” he said.

Schools were expected to reopen on Monday, 26 July, after they closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 amid the country’s third wave of infections. Mahlambi said the riots will definitely disturb teaching and learning.

Teacher unions condemned the actions and expressed disappointment.

National Professional Teachers Organization of South Africa (Naptosa)’s executive manager Basil Manuel says they are sickened by images of schools in burning to the ground.

“The reason for the damaging of the schools is apparently being that people were looking for food,” said Manuel.

“Stealing objects and equipment from is a school is contemptable but stealing the future of innocent children and disrupting their lives is unforgiveable,” said Manuel.

Manuel said the time has arrived where the destruction and damage to schools can no longer be dealt with as merely an offence of damage to property.

“It needs to be elevated to something more telling for which more severe and deterrent sentences can be imposed and where the damage it causes children, becomes an aggravating factor,” said Manuel.

The Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) ’s Spokesperson, Kabelo Mahlobongwane said such criminal activities should not be happening at schools.

“We want to register our disappointment to those who decided that schools were places where such criminal elements could happen,” said Mahlobongwane.

Mahlobongwane said that they have been calling for tighter security in schools for a very long time.

“Such criminal activities have been reported in our schools for a long time, and most reports and studies confirmed that schools are a red zone for crimes,” he said.

READ: Nzimande says the food prices following unrests will affect students

Mahlobongwane said Eusa wants to emphasise its call for government to deploy at least two police in each school across the country to help deal with such criminal activities.

“It is very disappointing on the side of government to not prioritise the safety of institutions that play a vital role in making sure the future of our children is secured.

Nomarashiya Caluza, KZN South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) ‘s provincial secretary said Sadtu condemns this behaviour from KZN residents.

“This has been happening for a very long time, even before lockdown.

“We had more than 100 schools that were vandalized because people wanted to get access to food at the schools, which is reportedly the case now.

“Computers and food were taken from schools. We are disappointed because it is the responsibility of the community to protect schools,” said Caluza.

She added that schools have historically never had security because communities would protect schools from any form of criminal activity.

“This is why we are disappointed. The national education department cannot look after schools alone, community members also need to play their role in this,” she said.

Extra reporting by Mmadifedile Mofokeng.

The post 130 schools damaged by KZN Shutdown riots appeared first on Inside Education..

Unicef’s Executive Director Henrietta Fore said the losses that children and young people will incur from not being in school may never be recouped.

“From learning loss, mental distress, exposure to violence and abuse, to missed school-based meals and vaccinations or reduced development of social skills.

“The consequences for children will be felt in their academic achievement and societal engagement as well as physical and mental health,” said Fore.

Audrey Azoulay, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Director-General said the most affected are often children in low-resource settings who do not have access to remote learning tools, and the youngest children who are at key developmental stages.

“That’s why reopening schools for in-person learning cannot wait.

“It [the reopening] cannot wait for [Covid-19] cases to go to zero.

“There is clear evidence that primary and secondary schools are not among the main drivers of transmission. Meanwhile, the risk of Covid-19 transmission in schools is manageable with appropriate mitigation strategies in most settings,” said Azoulay.

READ: ‘Schools cannot open if all health protocols are not in place’ say teachers and parents

South Africa has itself been battling with the decision to open schools or keep them shut amid the coronavirus third wave.

Schools were initially supposed to open on Monday, 19 July. The decision to extend the winter holidays was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa who said all schools will open on 26 July because the country was deep inside the third wave infections.

Non-profit organisation Equal Education said it supports the government’s decision to open schools amid the country’s third Covid-19 wave. The organisation said closing schools is detrimental for many pupils who depend on schools for meals and counselling.

“Our schools are not only places of learning – they are where learners need to get a meal, through the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).

“Child hunger is almost double what it was before the pandemic. Less than half of children (43%) received a free school meals in February and March 2021, showing receipt is still well below pre-pandemic levels (65%), and possibly even November/December 2020 levels (49%), said Equal Education Communications Officer Jay-Dee Cyster.

Unicef’s Fore said the decision to open or close schools should be based on risk analysis and the epidemiological considerations in the communities where they are situated.

“Reopening schools cannot wait for all teachers and students to be vaccinated.

READ: Schools to return to traditional and daily attendance on 2 August

“With the global vaccine shortages plaguing low and middle-income countries, vaccinating frontline workers and those most at risk of severe illness and death will remain a priority,” said Fore.

Adding that the effects of school closures are dire, ranging from lower educational achievement to mental health problems, as well as increased malnutrition.

“Schools should be the last to close and the first to reopen,” said Fore

“We urge decision-makers and governments to prioritise the safe reopening of schools to avoid a generational catastrophe,” added Azoulay.

Adding that closing schools mortgages our future for unclear benefits to our present.

“We must prioritise better. We can re-open schools safely, and we must,” said Azoulay.

The post Schools remain shut in 19 countries including South Africa appeared first on Inside Education..