TEACHERS and parents at Greenpoint High School near Kimberley in the Northern Cape are fearing for their lives and their children’s lives, following the escalation of gang violence at the school. Gang-related attacks have been going on since the beginning of the year.

A learner at the school was stabbed on Wednesday in another gang violence incident which led to the school’s closure.

The School Governing Body Chairperson Leon Monyobo says thirty learners involved in gang violence have been suspended pending disciplinary action.

“As the SGB members, we are going to be here not on a daily basis but I’m always here to look for the safety (of the children)and so on.  We have given them their suspension letters – and they will realise that the thing that they have done is wrong. We have suspended them for seven days now and we are going to go to the disciplinary hearing. And when we are done with that they will realise that this problem that they cause at school, we cannot tolerate it.”

The Department of Education in the Northern Cape says its educational support team has been deployed to Greenpoint High School in Kimberley to give counselling to the learners and teachers.

A teacher who was held hostage on Wednesday when gang violence erupted again at the school, is currently receiving counselling and has been put on sick leave.

The Department of Education’s HOD Moira Marais elaborates.

“We have sent out our education support team to help with the counselling of the learners. And the teacher that was held hostage was allowed to go on sick leave and she is receiving counselling. And the learners also, we need to have intervention programmes at the school. But on Sunday, there will be a meeting with the community and we roped in the councillor.”

Additional reporting| SABCNEWS

CENTENNIAL Schools is the brainchild of Shaun Fuchs who used his 31-year experience in education to reimagine what a high school should be. It was created as a result of the pandemic, combined with the challenges that South African educational systems face.

Fuchs previously served as managing director of Reddam House Schools, general manager at Crawford College and the Centurus Colleges Group and headmaster at Crawford Lonehill.  

The school believes the last decade has highlighted how behind the times teaching methods are, but it was the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown that amplified the need for change.

The result is a high school where students don’t have to wear a uniform nor write an entrance exam, but will be interviewed by the school principal, and learn through Microsoft software, take a time out if they are under stress. Each student needs an Asus laptop to attend classes, available in three pricing tiers, a cost excluded from its annual fees. 

The eSports aspect, which forms part of the curriculum, along with other additional masterclasses, is to prepare students for the modern world. 

Centennial Schools says skills learnt through eSports include strategic thinking and planning, managing success and failure, time management, working with others, social skills, and pro-social values.

The 300m² lab is equipped with more than 30 state-of-the-art Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) gaming machines, screens, and gaming chairs. It runs on a 1Gbps fibre connection with back-up generators while there is load shedding.

THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has announced new interventions to address severe learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This will include time allocation for mathematics and reading each week in the foundation phase (grades 1 to 3), it said.

“These are the grades that were most severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and we must do everything we possibly can to ensure that our youngest students are not disadvantaged in later grades.

“The intervention will see an extra two hours per week allocated to reading and one extra hour per week for mathematics, for all foundation phase students in the province – amounting to an increase of at least 60 learning hours per student in the subjects over the remainder of the year. The intervention will support other recovery plans that are already underway.”

These increases will be accommodated by adjusting the amount of time allocated to Life Skills, so the intervention will not increase the length of the school day, the department said.

“We recognise the importance of Life Skills teaching in the development of our students. It is therefore important that the remaining time for the subject be used effectively within the new timetables.”

Lost time 

Data provided by the department earlier in 2022 shows severe learning losses associated with the pandemic.

“While we had previously made great progress with a steady increase in performance in years preceding 2020, these gains have unfortunately been reversed.

“The greatest learning losses can be seen in the Foundation Phase. We have always maintained that the loss of contact (face-to-face) teaching time would affect our youngest students the most as they do not have the same self-discipline, maturity or structure that our older students would have to cope with rotating timetables and learning at home. ”

Comparing the 2021 and 2019 systemic test results, Grade 3 pass rates in mathematics dropped by 13.8 percentage points, and in language by 8.0 percentage points. These learning losses will have serious knock effects as these students progress through their school careers, the department said.

“A minute will be sent to schools outlining what is required and providing suggested timetables when implementing the intervention. All foundation phase teachers will participate in a webinar on Monday (25 July), to take them through the intervention before it is implemented.

“The intervention will be monitored over the remaining weeks of the school year, and a review report will be produced to inform the steps we will take in 2023. Schools that have already made their own adjustments to address learning losses in this phase will have the opportunity to request exemption from the change, if they can demonstrate that they are effectively addressing the losses.”

BUSINESS TECH

WITH the 2023 online admissions for grades one and eight starting today, Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has revealed the system has undergone technical upgrades to prevent any hiccups.

However, there appears to be system failures already, with some parents expressing their frustrations on social media app Twitter this morning.

According to the parents, the Gauteng Department of Education’s (GDE’s) online admission system is not allowing new registrations or logging-in, schools are not appearing, the system doesn’t recognise the feeder zones, and there is an inability to select home language and preferred language, to list a few of the issues.

The GDE also tweeted: “Google Maps has temporarily removed us from their system for having reached a maximum of 6 000 requests per minute.”

The department further stated it’s working on “increasing the capacity to 20 000 requests per minute”, promising to resolve the issue within 30 minutes.

The GDE’s schools online registration system for grade one and eight learners was initiated to prevent long queues and encourage a tech-savvy school registration process.

The system has, however, been plagued by a number of recurring challenges, including an inability to handle multiple users at a time.

Speaking on talk station Radio 702 yesterday, Lesufi stated improvements to the system will mean the application process will be “easier and smarter” this time around.

According to the provincial education department, the Department of Home Affairs opened a secure dedicated portal to handle the requests from the system.

“We’ve linked up with major government portals – the Department of Home Affairs as well as the GPS system, so that parents don’t have to spend time typing in their names or their addresses,” said Lesufi.

“We’ve also strengthened the technical capability of it. We can take 40 000 people [applications] at the same time, so that there is no element of the system crashing, hanging or not functioning. We’ve also ensured we can extend this to 120 000 complete applications within an hour.”

The 2023 Gauteng schools online registrations opened today and close on 19 August.

ITWEB

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA|

TODAY is Nelson Mandela Day, which is commemorated in South Africa and around the world.

In honour of the birthday of the founding father of our democracy, we are called on to dedicate 67 minutes to doing good works, serving others and making a difference in our communities.

At a time when so much of the world is beset by hardship and strife, we are inspired by Madiba’s words that “it is in our hands to make a difference and to make the world a better place”.

Across the length and breadth of our country today, South Africans are taking Madiba’s message to heart. They are making a positive contribution. They are volunteering in shelters and care facilities. They are helping to feed and clothe the needy. They are helping to clean their communities. They are performing acts of kindness and service, both big and small.

Nelson Mandela Day is about inculcating a culture of service that lasts beyond the 67 minutes every year on the 18th of July.

This is a difficult time for our country.

We are in the midst of an energy crisis that is causing great hardship. A spate of violent crimes is heightening fear and insecurity in communities. Even as our economy is recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty and unemployment is taking a heavy toll on millions who are struggling to make ends meet. Corruption has eaten away at our nation’s soul and has severely eroded the social compact between the state and citizens.

Nelson Mandela Day is an opportunity to remember that these problems, like so many we have faced before, are not insurmountable. They can be overcome.

This day is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to upholding the values Madiba stood for and to building the South Africa to which he dedicated his life.

He always reminded us that there is no easy walk to freedom and that we share a common responsibility for nation-building.

Time and again, we have been pulled back from the brink by the activism and resilience of our people. Community, faith-based and grassroots organisations have acted in defence of human rights, our Constitution and the interests of our citizens.

At times when the state has faltered, it has been civil society that has reminded us of our obligation to advance the ideals for which Madiba and generations of freedom fighters made such sacrifices.

The programme for democratic renewal launched by a group of civil society organisations earlier this month, which calls for people’s power to be re-ignited, is to be welcomed.

It is a call for communities to organise and mobilise around economic inclusion, social and climate justice and ethical behaviour.

Many civil society organisations are rooted in our communities and have the keenest appreciation of the struggles of our people. Engaging and working with government to overcome the challenges in our society is what participatory democracy is all about.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, this collaboration between government, civil society and other social partners was instrumental in responding to a dire health emergency and providing support to society’s most vulnerable. Such partnerships are vital as we strive to rebuild our economy.

Building a better South Africa requires each and every one of us to make a contribution in whatever way we can. Defending our democracy begins with individual acts, like joining a community policing forum, volunteering at a charity or a shelter, reporting crime or refusing to pay a bribe.

Let us evoke Madiba’s ‘new patriotism’, where South Africans are determined to work together and make our country a winning nation. We cannot leave it to others to realise the South Africa of our dreams. The future of our country is indeed in our hands.

Wherever you may be today, I wish you a happy and meaningful Nelson Mandela Day.

From the desk of the President

ALEC BASSON|

MANY children in South Africa run the risk of developing foot abnormalities such as hammer-, clawed- and retracted toes and heel spurs because they wear school shoes that don’t fit properly.

This is one of the key findings of a new study at Stellenbosch University (SU).

“Our research shows that habitually barefoot kids wear school shoes that are either too short, too long or too narrow for their feet. Wearing ill-fitting shoes regularly can have a negative impact on the development of their feet which can lead to various foot abnormalities, and musculoskeletal problems such as lower back pain later in life,” say Marise Breet and Ranel Venter from the Department of Sport Science at SU. They set out to determine if the length and width dimensions of prescribed school shoes match the foot dimensions of habitually barefoot children.

The findings of their study were published recently in BMC Pediatrics.

​Breet and Venter measured the feet of 698 kids (431 girls and 267 boys) between the ages of six and sixteen in urban and rural schools. They also measured the length and width of different brands of school shoes currently available in stores. The maximum heel-toe length (HTL) and foot width with an added 10 mm toe and width fit allowance to each participant were compared to the corresponding school shoe length and width.

“Our results show that, comparing the shoe length and maximum heel-toe-length of participants, as well as taking 10 mm toe allowance into account, 59% of children wore shoes that were not the correct length. With regards to the shoe width and the added 10 mm of width fit allowance, 98% of the shoes worn by the children were too narrow for their feet.

“Given the width dimensions of the shoes in our study, many children in South Africa will not have the option of a school shoe with a wider forefoot, as this is not available. Habitually barefoot children have a wider forefoot than those who wear shoes on a regular basis.”

According to the researchers, there are several possible reasons for the prevalence of ill-fitting shoes.

“Recent research has indicated toe and width allowances are not applied effectively. Often too much or too little space is left for the toes inside the shoe to ensure a correct shoe fit. The recommended toe allowance of 10 mm should be considered in addition to the HTL of the child to guarantee the correct fit for shoe length.

“Our shoe manufacturers use a shoe design based on the British system, using foot length as the basic measurement. In this system, each increase in foot length will correspond with a standardised increase in foot girth, based on European data.

“Also, the manufacturing of children’s shoes is often not predominantly influenced by orthopaedic and biomechanical research, but by fashion trends.”

The researchers add that the quality of information available on footwear fit and the rapid increase (up to 1,5 cm per year) in foot length in children between the ages of six and 14 years could also be reasons for ill-fitting shoes.

They recommend that shoe manufacturing companies consider the shoe width of school shoes for habitually barefoot children and adolescents to avoid the long-term negative effects of ill-fitting shoes.

“Shoe designs for these children should produce a shoe to fit the foot properly and mimic the natural shape and dimensions of the bare foot. This should help to enhance the healthy development of the foot.

“It should be pointed out, however, that shoe manufacturers don’t always have the right data to design a standard shape from available measurements. Consequently, they focus on shoe length as a basic measurement without considering the other dimensions.”

The researchers say their study advances and elaborates on existing views on this highly relevant issue, as it places the onus on shoe manufacturers to improve on the basic dimensions of available shoes for habitually barefoot children.

“Results from our study could help to create awareness of the current mismatch between these children’s feet and available school shoes and could also assist shoe manufacturers to make better-fitting shoes for our South African children and adolescents.”

​Source: Breet, MC & Venter, R 2022. Are habitually barefoot children compelled to wear ill‑fitting school shoes? A cross‑sectional study. BMC Pediatrics 22:187: doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03263-9

WENDY MOTHATA|

THE Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that online admissions for Grade 1 and 8 would open from Wednesday this week until August.

Applications will open on 22 July at 08:00 and close on 19 August 2022 at 00.00.

The department said that parents will be able to apply to a minimum of three schools and a maximum of five schools for each learner.

The department said it has enhanced the online application so that it was more user-friendly.

In the past parents have raised concerns about the system and the challenges faced when trying to register their children.

“Parents cannot make more than one application for one learner to the same school. Parents must remember to read and accept the terms and conditions.”

The department said that assistance regarding online applications is available at any walk-in centre or school|
• Parents/guardians are required to provide one reliable cellphone number to receive a username and password, and other important information about the child’s application.
• All applicants need to remember to upload certified copies of required documents on the system or submit documents to the schools they applied to within 7 days of making the application.
• Parents/guardians are urged to log on to the system and accept offers of placement that will be sent via SMS from 3 October 2022 to 30 November 2022.

Application process

When applying for Grade 1 and Grade 8 during the 2023 GDE Online Admissions applications period, parents must complete the following 5 steps to submit a complete application|
• Step 1: Register parent details
Step 2: Register address details
• Step 3: Register learner details
• Step 4: Apply to a maximum of 5 Schools
Step 5: Upload or submit documents

Please note the following:
• Parents are encouraged to use home address within school feeder zone application option to see
schools with feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address
• To increase the chances of placement closer to the parent’s home address, parents should select schools with feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address

Documents needed

When applying, parents and guardians must have certified copies of the following documents and either upload them to the system or submit them physically only to the schools chosen when applying within 7 days of applying:
• Parent/Guardian ID OR Passport Child ID or South African Birth Certificate OR Passport
• Refugee Permit OR Asylum Seeker Permit or Permanent Residence Permit OR Study Permit
• Proof of Home Address
• Proof of Work Address (Optional, for those applying at a school closer to work)
• Latest School Report and Clinic Card/Immunisation Report (Grade 1 only)

Meanwhile, parents who wish to apply for Grade R, Grade 2-7 and Grade 9-12 at a public school in Gauteng for the 2023 academic year must apply directly at their identified schools and not on the GDE Online Admissions System.
The department has urged parents and guardians to interact directly with their identified schools to receive guidance on how and when to apply for these grades.

INSIDE EDUCATION