Coronavirus: KZN Edu shifts to alternative learning systems
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC says they are meeting with various media houses with proposals that they be used as learning platforms for matric pupils.
As part of South Africa's response to the coronavirus pandemic - schools countrywide closed on Wednesday for three-and-a-half weeks.
Kwazi Mshengu says they want to make sure that Grade 12s, who'd signed up for boot camps and holiday classes, can still learn from home.
"We are hoping that we can get it before the end of the week or the week so that we see how we partner. We understand that the radio and tv stations will want us to pay for airtime."
"But we are saying we are all in a state of disaster, but also we are going to approach treasury to request more funding through the disaster fund so that we are able to provide these radio lessons that are quite important."
READ: SA imposes new rules over coronavirus
One KZN school is using technology to keep the lessons going.
Grantleigh School in Richards Bay has been making use of an app that allows pupils to learn and study from the comfort of their homes.
Grade 9 pupil, Omuhle Mbuyazi says she's happy with the process so far.
"The teachers are able to send us work to do, assignments to do - which we can submit to them, and we can check our progress and grades. We also have Whatsapp groups for some of the subjects where we can talk to the teacher and ask for help if there is something we don't understand."
With the country's schools having closed yesterday, the KZN Parents Association says the confirmation that several young children have contracted COVID-19 is a huge concern.
It's issued a strong warning to parents.
"We have to be very cautious of our children now. Those in the schools mean they were controlling the infections in the school environment but as parents have their children at home and looking at this as a holiday - and they still take their children to malls, movies and restaurants, the chance of them picking it up is extremely high," says the association's Vee Gani.
ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Your guide to social distancing
On Wednesday, the health ministry confirmed new cases - taking the country's infections tally to 116.
Six of the new cases are children aged between two and five. Only two of the children have travelled overseas. The other four cases are local transmissions.
Among the children infected is a five-year-old boy from KZN.
Gani has asked parents to monitor and limit their children's movements and their interactions.
"This virus is in our country. It's a scare and rightfully so. We have to be very careful, especially with our children and the elderly. But everybody has to take care."
