FOCUS ON EDUCATION
BY JESSIE TAYLOR
The return to classrooms – what now?
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A new normal in schooling sees the safety of staff at the forefront
s the first term of schooling draws to a close, learners and educators are slowly adapting to a new normal in teaching in the midst of the pandemic. Learners returned to their classrooms for the start of the academic year on Monday, 15 February 2021, after the second wave of Covdi-19 swept across the country. The first terms will run until Friday 23 April. The new normal for schools includes the use of personal protective equipment, smaller classes and online learning – all with the focus on promoting the health and safety of teachers, staff and learners, Education minister Angie Motshekga said. Counting the cost of Covid-19 in the classroom Not only has Covid-19 caused disruptions to schooling and
reduced teaching time, but it has also had a devastating effect on school staff. By February 2021, over 1100 teachers had passed away due to Covid-19, while 243 nonteaching staff had succumbed to the virus. The province most affected was the Eastern Cape, which had a death toll of 533 among teachers – almost half of the country’s fatalities.
This safety-focused approach must remain in place as schools return to extramural activities
To fill the staff shortages caused by teachers who have passed away, or who are at risk and unable to return to classrooms, the Department of Basic Education has employed 290,000 assistants, Hon. Motshekga announced.
50 | Public Sector Leaders | April 2021
“The Sector has welcomed close to 290 000 young people, who have been employed on contract as Education Assistants and General School Assistants. These young people have been employed in our schools, as the Sector’s response to President Ramaphosa’s Fiscal Stimulus Package, announced in April 2020. We call this initiative, the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI),” she said. The BEEI seeks to address Covid-19 related academic disruptions, as well as assisting in dealing with lingering systemic challenges. Another key component of the BEEI is to provide support to workers negatively and directly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, explained Hon. Motshekga. “A portion of the R7 billion allocated for the BEEI, is targeted at saving SGB-funded posts in
