Closing public schools will widen inequality gaps, say experts

Dr Sadi Seyama, senior lecturer at the University of Johannesburg’s faculty of education leadership and management, said the assumption that private schools were better suited to handle Covid-19 was flawed and divisive.

“It’s questionable whether private schools in crowded areas and areas with low household incomes are prepared. Does this mean all of them are ready? It’s divisive, and I don’t know if that’s the kind of message we want to send. The government needs to make sure private schools are also well resourced.

“This could also be a decision based on the reality of the service in these school, but this could seem like the children in these schools don’t matter. The decision has major implications on how the children will look at themselves,” Seyama said.

She said the postponement of schooling would further delay learning, but was also an opportunity to rethink the education system.​

“It will take everything back. Both teachers and pupils will not be intellectually ready. They will not be able to cover what they were supposed to. We will struggle with inadequacy of foundation [knowledge]. There are negative consequences. This could take us further back in terms of catching up.

“This means the curriculum needs to be revised, address the gaps and be open to a different way of thinking. It is possible,” Seyama said.

Ebrahim Ansur, secretary general at the National Alliance of Independent School Associations (Naisa), welcomed the decision, saying many independent schools were facing uncertain financial futures as school fee collections were at an all-time low.

“We are pleased the ministry of education took favourable cognisance of the submission Naisa made, arguing that independent schools should be allowed discretion with regard to their continued operation. While we recognise the arguments for the closure of public schools may have some merit, the context and conditions under which independent schools operate demand they be treated differently.

“Most schools have implemented salary cuts for staff and there have been reports of staff retrenchments. Further closures of schools could very well result in many schools closing, with resultant job losses for teachers, and pupils having to be accommodated in already crowded state schools.

“Ordinarily, independent schools have their own calendars which they manage differently, and some  have just come back from a break. Another break would have been counterproductive,” Ansur said.

However, he admitted that rural and under-privileged schools had not been able to provide online learning because of a lack of resources, leaving these pupils further compromised and possibly not able to catch up at all.