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Angie Motshekga said that the principles of opening schools at the right time were accepted once all the conditions had been met.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga offers an update on the plans for the academic year 2020. Image: YouTube screenshot.
JOHANNESBURG – Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the May and June exams had been postponed and will be part of the December exams.
“Exams due to start on May 4 will be merged with exams in November.”
Motshekga said they had “fruitful” consultations with all relevant teacher unions and stakeholders before reaching the decision.
Motshekga said the principles of opening schools at the right time were accepted once all the conditions had been met.
More than 13 million students are currently in the public and private school sector.
ONLINE LEARNING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said the 2020 academic year for higher education institutions will virtually resume.
Nzimande said the Department of Higher Education has decided that it will not resume with campus class activity during the closure of level 4.
This unique exemption is for senior clinical students under strict measures, to assist the government in its national fight against the new coronavirus.
“TVET universities and universities do not operate in a vacuum but in a historical context.”
“We will develop and implement effective multimodal distance learning systems.”
This, according to Nzimande, is to provide reasonable academic support to all higher education students.
“No student will be left behind in our strategy in terms of ensuring that we do everything possible to complete the 2020 academic year,” said Nzimande.
He said that when the physical delivery of learning materials was required and where there were no immediate digital media, the department ensured that students received instructional materials.
For those who did not have immediate digital media ready to continue their studies or may need to be physically handed out learning materials, Nzimande said the department was finalizing the acquisition and distribution of devices (laptops) for all students and their connectivity in digital remote control learning platforms
DEEP CLEANING AND DISINFECTION
According to Nzimande, when students return to campus, protocols will be established for maintaining physical distance, access to hand sanitizers and face masks, and continuous and thorough cleaning of the facilities.
In addition, the reopening will involve assessment / evaluation of staff and students, with environmental cleanup of the campuses and residences. It also identified sites for quarantine facilities in or near institutions, as needed.
“We will also provide mental health support and other forms of support needed for staff and students at all times.”
NSFAS FUNDING WILL CONTINUE
Nzimande said that funding from the National Student Financial Aid Program will continue for students for the rest of the year.
“The likely extension of the academic year will require additional funds to maintain student assignments as they complete the academic year. As a Department, therefore, we are working with NSFAS on modeling these costs, ”said Nzimande.
NEW PLAN FOR UNIVERSITIES
Nzimande said that the academic year 2020 would be reorganized to allow all institutions and their students to complete the academic requirements, with the possibility of extending until the beginning of 2021 depending on the impact of the threat of pandemic COVID-19.
He said that the end of the current year and the start of the new academic year would be aligned with the plans of the Department of Basic Education in terms of the cycle of completion of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams and the publication of the results of the NSC. .
“As a result of the highly uncertain and fluid social context imposed by the viral threat on all aspects of South African society, it is not possible to determine with certainty the dates on which the physical return to campus will be for as many of our students as possible.” Nzimande said.
PLANNING FOR TVET UNIVERSITIES
Nzimande said that the 2020 academic year will also be restructured in accordance with the continuation of the blockade under national Level Four protocols (4).
“This implies the need to restructure national exams for quarterly, semi-annual and year-round programs.”
Nzimande said TVET universities would have to reorganize the academic year to allow students to complete quarters one and two for engineering studies, both semesters for business studies and the NC (V) full-year programs.
“The third quarter, which should have taken place from August to November 2020, will be postponed to a date to be determined after consultation with stakeholders. This is to ensure that students are adequately prepared for the exams. “
UNIVERSITY VACATIONS TO REDUCE
According to the Department of Higher Education, in an attempt to make up for the number of days lost during the shutdown, the amount of college vacations would be reduced in June and September 2020.
Nzimande further explained: “In this sense, a revised academic calendar will be issued to CET universities indicating the increase in the number of enrollment days. We will commit to organized labor in implementing these measures.
“Since most centers operate from schools, our CET academic calendar will be aligned with that of the Department of Basic Education.”
Nzimande said he had issued a directive to all education and training authorities in the sector to continue paying student stipends during the national closure period.
Almost 18K trained health workers
Nzimande said the government has reserved for training 17,750 front-line health workers, union leadership and membership, union delegates and other workers dealing with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), in the context of COVID-19.
“The training will also cover night service workers. Additionally, and working with the Department of Social Development, 1,210 unemployed social workers will be recruited and placed on a 12-month internship, to work with our communities to address the social distress and other psychosocial challenges facing households and communities during this difficult period.”
With continued uncertainty about the reopening of schools amid the closure of COVID-19, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Nzimande addressed the nation on Thursday.
The teachers’ organization and unions hope that Motshekga will come up with a concrete plan that inspires confidence and ensures that all schools are equipped before learning and teaching can resume.
The department presented a tentative plan in parliament on Wednesday that could reopen schools starting next month.
WATCH LIVE: Motshekga, Nzimande give update on the academic year
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