The Department of Basic Education has developed a draft framework for the establishment of online private and public schools.
This was revealed by basic education minister Angie Motshekga in a written response to a Parliamentary question posed by Baxolile Nodada, MP for the Democratic Alliance.
In her reply, Motshekga notes the purpose of the framework is to address the policy gap and provide guidance on the procedure for the establishment of the online schools.
“The framework has been shared with provincial education departments for input and comments before it can be distributed to other stakeholders.”
Even though learners and teachers have subsequently returned to brick-and-mortar schools, the global COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the 2020 and 2021 academic calendars. South African learners, like many across the world, were thrust into a virtual learning environment, in order to keep up academically.
Many public school-going learners and institutions were ill-prepared for the accelerated shift to all things online. However, for a number of private education providers, it was an opportunity to venture into the burgeoning online school space.
In 2020, private education group Curro was among the first institutions to recognise the increased need for online learning, opening Curro Online soon after the nation-wide COVID-19 lockdown was announced in March that year.
Johannesburg-based high school Ivy Academy, in December 2020, introduced an online-only offering for grades 10 to 12.
Last September, South African home-schooling provider Impaq announced it is launching a new online school, as demand for distance education continues to grow rapidly.
These education institutions aren’t the only ones to venture into the online school space. The University of Cape Town, mobile operator MTN Online School, as well as private, co-educational school Woodridge College have all launched their own online schools.
Moira de Roche, non-executive director of the Institute of IT Professionals SA and chairperson of IFIP International Professional Practice Partnership, previously told ITWeb that online schools, after a relatively slow start, will grow at a steady pace in the education space.
“The possibility of online schooling has now been experienced by educators, and their acceptance will also grow,” she said.
De Roche explained there are concerns around the social aspects of schooling and access to the internet or even a computer, and these will need to be addressed carefully to provide quality education for all.
“Existing schools can be used as learning centres for those who don't have access at home. The perennial problem of overcrowded schools and learners often being forced to attend a school relatively far from home will decrease, and eventually not be an issue.
“It will be: learn where you are (at home) or at the nearest learning centre, which will be equipped with fast internet. Only administration staff will be needed at such a centre, because the learner will interact with their teachers in the same way as those who are studying from home. Learners will quickly become comfortable with using a computer. The curriculum must include digital skills, especially privacy and security.
“A further benefit of a well-designed system will be shared teachers. For example, an excellent maths teacher can deliver lectures to a large number of students.”
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