Curb effects of learning losses with focus on foundation phase: Ramaphosa

To strengthen the quality of basic education, President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked stakeholders to pay special attention to the foundation phase with a focus on mitigating the disruption of Covid-19 early learning.

Ramaphosa addressed the basic education lekgotla on Thursday where he emphasised the negative impact of the pandemic could have serious consequences for pupils in later years.

The annual gathering is aimed at reassessing education priorities, strengthening the curriculum, including the three-stream model, and entrepreneurial education.

The theme of the lekgotla is “Equipping Learners with Knowledge and Skills for a Changing World Post the Covid-19 Pandemic”.

While teaching and learning is often constrained by conditions such as overcrowded classrooms and limited access to ablution facilities, the president is adamant the government is dealing with the challenges.

Through education assistants and the work of the Sanitation Appropriate for Education programme 50,000 sanitation facilities had been built at 2,388 schools, he said. An additional 15,000 toilets were constructed at 1,047 schools as part of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative.

While admitting that learning losses from the Covid-19 period would take some time to recoup, Ramaphosa encouraged the sector to work on “building resilience and promoting success in basic education”, saying this was a firm foundation for “economic growth, social progress and tackling inequality”.

Ramaphosa said when pupils have difficulty learning because they struggle to read and are not confident with basic numeracy, they are more likely to repeat classes. “This slows progress through the grades, places greater burdens on teachers and consumes resources which could have been directed to quality improvement,” he said.

To level the learning field, Ramaphosa asked stakeholders to look at concrete mechanisms to strengthen the use of technology to support curriculum delivery, particularly to pupils from disadvantaged communities.

To improve education outcomes and avoid drop outs, care and support for teaching and learning must be institutionalised, he said.

“Our schools must become places that are free of corporal punishment, sexual abuse, gender-based violence, racism, substance abuse and other ills.

“Our schools, like our country, must be alert to prevent a resurgence of Covid-19. As educators and stakeholders we must continue to encourage vaccination for those who are eligible.”

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