No legislation to support online teaching, warns Umalusi
Quality assurance body Umalusi briefed the media on the state of readiness for the final matric examinations on Friday.
The National Senior Certificate exam is set to start on 27 October.
The exams will once again take place during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many pupils making use of online classes in an attempt to complete the academic year.
Umalusi CEO Mafu Rakometsi warned that while the increase in online schools may be convenient, it is not yet regulated .
“Covid-19 has resulted in the proliferation of institutions that offer online tuition. While this may constitute as a good response to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, it is worth noting that currently there is no legislation that supports this mode of teaching and learning in the basic education sector.
“However, the Department of Education has started a process of amending the relevant legislation to accommodate online provision. Therefore in the meantime all organisations and individuals who are interested in getting involved in the space must cooperate with the DBE and Umalusi to make it possible for them to operate.”
Rakometsi added that schools should also be prepared for possible load shedding during exams.
“In preparation for the examinations all assessment bodies are required to make alternative arrangements with Eskom and other power suppliers regarding the possibility of load shedding during exam time.”
