Science festivals across the world attract millions of visitors every year. They are typically busy, buzzing events: visitors stroll through interactive displays, enjoy science-themed shows and popular science talks and take part in hands-on workshops.

These events appeal to different groups of people for different reasons. For adults, they provide rare – and valued – opportunities to talk directly to scientists while learning in a leisure context. For students visiting with their schools, there is often a focus on science learning, inspiration and sometimes getting advice about science careers.

Science festivals form part of an expanding global range of events designed for public engagement with science. This science engagement format has been adopted in South Africa with support from pan-African and South African  science policies.

But what is the appeal for the scientists whose participation is key to festivals’ success? Some studies have examined scientists’ willingness to engage with public audiences, but this research was done almost exclusively in the developed world. For example, one study found that scientists who participated in the Madrid Science Fair wanted to improve public interest in and appreciation of science. They also hoped to promote a general culture of science in society. A Swedish study, meanwhile, found that scientists participated in science festivals primarily for personal reasons such as improving their communication skills.

We wanted to understand what motivates scientists in South Africa to participate in science festivals – or deters them. This is important for two reasons. First, because science communication of the sort that happens at these festivals benefits society by bridging the gap between scientists and non-experts. It brings science to people and demonstrates how science can be a positive force for change.

Second, scientists usually participate at festivals as volunteers and have to invest significant time in preparing and contributing. It is vital to understand the factors that encourage or deter scientists’ participation, as well as the perceived benefits and risks that may affect their future involvement. That’s what our new study, the first of its kind to explore the participation of scientists in an African science festival, set out to do.

We found, among other things, that scientists enjoyed informing, exciting and inspiring the public. They also recognised the value of being role models, getting school children and students interested in science. Some of the barriers they identified included time constraints and a lack of institutional support and recognition for public engagement.

Driving factors

Our study focused on Scifest Africa, which has been held annually in South Africa since 1996. In 2020, it moved online, as did many other science festivals around the world, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forty scientists who participated in the festival in 2019 took part in an online survey.

One key finding was that scientists are mainly motivated by the objectives of informing, exciting and inspiring the public. As one respondent said: “Normally, the public does not know the science that we do. Scifest Africa is a good platform to make your science known to the public”.

Scientists also said they were driven by a sense of duty, given that they work with public funding. A respondent suggested that since “research is paid using taxpayers’ money, the public has a right to know how their money is being used”.

Another finding was that South Africa’s apartheid legacy inspires a strong moral obligation among scientists to give something back to society. One of the respondents told us: “Today, science communication can also be done by black people, e.g., we can be the ones who are explaining, teaching and demonstrating science to white people.”

Black women scientists in particular identified being role models as a key motivating factor for taking part in the festivals. A respondent suggested that “many black girls are afraid of studying science because they think it’s too difficult”, and that her engagement as a role model may help.

Other motivating factors included improving their own communication skills and finding it rewarding to engage with the public.

Barriers

When it came to barriers or deterrents, many respondents mentioned time constraints. Others were concerned that their institutions neither recognised nor supported public engagement work. A respondent said: “It is time-consuming and demanding to man an exhibition, but we are not paid for this and no one accounts for the productive time lost.”

Some respondents complained that institutions didn’t generally provide training opportunities to equip scientists with effective public dialogue skills.

Our findings offer practical insights to help festival funders and organisers to sustain and expand scientists’ participation.

They highlight the need for universities, research institutions and other science engagement entities to build expertise and provide continuous support to improve scientists’ participation.

While learners in schools for the middle class and independent schools have had access to online learning, learners in schools for the poor and working class have had no such access.

Visiting associate at Wits University Lynn Bowie said this was also unlikely to change in the near future.

On Monday, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced that public schools across the country will shut down this week and reopen on 19 July.

The decision comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa ’s address on Sunday that schools must be closed by 30 June 2021 due to the third wave of the coronavirus in South Africa.

Ramaphosa said the number of daily new infections was more than doubling, and that hospital admissions were rising. Ramaphosa said the deaths from Covid-19 were increasing by nearly 50%.

“The situation has gotten worse. In addition, we now have the Delta variant. The Delta variant has now been detected in five of our provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.

“We are concerned about the rapid spread of this variant. “Reports from some countries, including on our continent, also suggest that infections and clinical illness in children may be more common with the delta variant, even as the overall rate of infection remains substantially lower than in adults,” said Ramaphosa.

Bowie said there is evidence that, in mathematics, learners in less well-resourced schools are four years behind their counterparts in well-resourced schools by the end of Grade 9.

It is therefore likely that most Grade 9 learners will fell further behind in 2020 and continue to do so in 2021.

“This situation needs urgent attention. It is time to think beyond 2021, and to treat 2021 and 2022 as a continuous learning opportunity.

“It is also time to be more strategic about what is taught. In the Covid-19 discussions on schooling there has been too little focus on what learners will learn – whether at school or at home,” said Bowie.

A study by Associate Professor at the University of Stellenbosch Nicholas Spaull found that only 16% of Grade 3 students in South Africa are performing at a Grade 3 level in mathematics.

Spaull said the poorest 60% of students are three Grade-levels behind the wealthiest 20% of students in Grade 3.

The gap between the poorest 60% and wealthiest 20% of students grows to four Grade-levels by Grade 9.

After Grade 9, South African learners must choose between Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy for the remaining three years of secondary school.

Mathematics is essential for entrance into science-based programmes in universities, but the majority of learners lack the knowledge to cope with Mathematics from Grade 10 onwards.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Wits University Craig Pournara said for example, in the Annual National Assessments for Mathematics administered from 2012 to 2014, the average mark each year for Grade 9 was less than 14%. 

“Similarly, in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study assessments in 2015, only one third of South African Grade 9 learners achieved at the minimal level in mathematics,” said Pournara.

He added that a recent study of Grade 9 and 10 learner performances on negative number, basic algebra and functions yielded an average score of 28.3%.

“Clearly Grade 9 performance is far below desired levels,” he said

“Add to this situation the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In most state schools, Grade 9s are scheduled to return to class on 19 July 2021.

“Research indicates that long breaks from school lead to learning loss, with maths scores being particularly badly affected. And these breaks have a greater negative impact on learners from lower socioeconomic groups,” said Pournara.

Pournara and Bowie suggested that a limited number of core concepts and skills for Grades 8 and 9 that will provide a strong foundation for further mathematics be identified.

The two said this can be a solution to the pandemic interruption of learning.

“This involves, firstly, a carefully designed curriculum to address learners’ difficulties, starting with whole number, fractions, negative number, introductory algebra, linear patterns and functions.

“Secondly, teachers need a range of supportive materials – not just fixed lesson plans. It should be clear what must be done face-to-face and what can be done alone at home without technology. Teacher materials should help to identify gaps in learners’ knowledge and to provide guidance for re-teaching what learners have missed,” said Bowie.

Pournara said tests should focus on revealing what learners understand and what they are battling with, instead of putting pressure on them to “pass” a certain level.

He said if this is done, Covid-19 could be the unexpected catalyst that makes the education system accountable to learners and their learning. 

“But we need to get Grade 8 and 9 learners back to learning as soon as possible. It is crucial that they are not neglected because of an overwhelming focus on Grade 12 learners,” he said.

NYAKALLO TEFU|

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Monday that more than 200 000 educators have now been vaccinated across the country.

DBE Minister Angie Motshekga addressed the media on Monday following President Cyril Ramaphosa ‘s Sunday announcement of the compulsory shutting down of schools from Wednesday. The decision was taken after the country saw massive spikes of Covid-19 infections across provinces.

In her address, Motshekga said the early closing of schools will not affect the teacher vaccination programme.

The minister was speaking during a media briefing held at Seemahale Secondary School in Botshabelo, Free State. The minister said she and her team were in the Free State as part of monitoring the vaccination of teachers and support staff.

“As you know the programme started last week and in this province good progress has been made. Learners in public and independent or private schools should be released for winter vacation on Wednesday, 30 June,” she said.

Motshekga said she was pleased with the programme and stressed that staff members in the education sector scheduled to receive their jabs next week should make themselves available although schools were closed. 

Adding that her sector wants to conclude the vaccination programme by next week. 

READ: BREAKING: Schools to shut down from Wednesday

“The vaccination programme for the Basic Education Sector personnel, will proceed as planned; the workers are advised to adhere to their schedules, and strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols, as stipulated in the Regulations.  

“Schools designated as vaccination sites, must remain open to continue with the vaccination programme.  It is important that we all work together to complete the vaccination as soon as possible,” she said.

The minister added that , “If by the time we reopen, we still find out that there are still some teachers who have not been vaccinated, we will arrange with health (sic). But we are saying, any other person who has no reason, either flu vaccine, or Covid-19, who would not have vaccinated this time, we want all of them to come now.

“Because when we reopen in July, we don’t want to be running a vaccination programme,” she said.

Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe and the province’s Health MEC Montseng Tsiu both said they were very pleased with the turnout of educators and staff.

Tsiu said the province plans to inoculate 32 000 educators and staff in the province.

“We are hoping to vaccinate everyone by Friday so that we are at least left with people that will be doing mop up next week,” said Tsiu.

Tsiu said the province has 29 vaccination sites and 28 of them are on school premises.

The health MEC reiterated that those who were infected with the virus in the past 30 days or received the flu vaccine in the past 14 days were advised not to take the Johnson and Johnson vaccine as yet but were urged to register.

Motshekga said eight provinces will continue with the vaccine rollout on Monday to Friday.

READ: Public schools set to shut down, reopen 19 July

The minister added that the Limpopo Department of Education has successfully vaccinated 30 000 educators and staff since Friday.

She said she was happy with the turn out so far and is satisfied with the turnout thus far. Adding that the department of health and the department of basic education remains hopeful that the target will be met as scheduled.

The vaccination drive began after 300 000 Johnson and Johnson vaccines arrived in South Africa, aimed at vaccinating teachers and non-teaching staff from both public and private schools.

DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said they want 582 000 education staff to be vaccinated by 8 July.

The Minister said schools designated as vaccination sites must remain open to continue with the vaccination programme.

“It is important that we all work together to complete the vaccination as soon as possible,” said Motshekga.

READ: Unions welcome the closure of schools

NYAKALLO TEFU|

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on Monday announced that public schools across the country will shut down this week and reopen on 19 July.

The decision comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address on Sunday that schools must be closed by 30 June 2021 due to the third wave of the coronavirus in South Africa.

Addressing media on Monday, Motshekga said teaching will stop on Wednesday, and that the department will use both Thursday and Friday to enable teachers and managers to properly close schools.

The minister also said parents should make arrangements for learners at boarding schools to be collected by Friday.

“Public schools will come back from the winter vacation early on 19 July instead of 26 July 2021, as it was originally scheduled in the 2021 School Calendar,” said Motshekga.

Adding that school management teams (SMT), teachers, learners in hostel facilities and learners with special education needs waiting for parents to pick them up should report at school until Friday 2 July.

READ: BREAKING: Schools to shut down from Wednesday

“Parents, need to make arrangements that by Friday 12:30, there should be no learners in our hostels and facilities,” said Motshekga.

The minister said schools must make arrangements that for the remaining three days, learners continue to receive their meals.

Adding that the department encourages our learners to remain safe.

Motshekga said learners should not gather in crowds.

“They must apply hygiene practices as all times and avoid activities that may expose them to infections,” said Motshekga.

Schools were initially meant to close on 9 July. The date was brought forward following the governing party’s decision to place the country on stricter restrictions for the next 14 days.

National Professional Teachers’ Organization of South Africa’s (Naptosa) Basil Manuel said the department of basic education needs to let go of this calendar because the pandemic is so unpredictable.

“We need to make decisions based on how the pandemic is because if not, we will continue changing dates of closing and reopening schools,” said Manuel.

READ: Unions welcome the closure of schools

Manuel said the date set by the DBE is not realistic and it would be best if schools open a week later to the proposed date.

“Winter holidays are normally three weeks, maybe we should do that because teachers have been at school for the longest time without a break, this is the longest time in history,” added Manuel.

Education Union of South Africa’s (EUSA) Spokesperson Kabelo Mahlobongwane was harsher in his response.

“She [Motshekga] must just relax,” he said.

“The reopening of schools will be guided by the third wave and not her ambition to see teachers and learners spread the virus through these unsafe buildings she refers to as schools,” said Mahlobongwane.

Mahlobongwane said the focus right now must on saving lives. Adding that, “this is the only thing EUSA will entertain”.

Mahlobongwane said teachers who feel the anxiety of going to work on Thursday and Friday should take their two days sick leave.

“Should they face any challenges come third term, they should contact us for assistance – members or non-members,” he said.

Motshekga said the DBE together with the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) agreed that the usual winter vacation learner support programmes for grade 11 and 12 organised by provinces, districts and schools should continue.

“They have been instructed to continue under very strict conditions in compliance with the Covid-19 health and safety protocols,” said Motshekga.

However, Manuel told Inside Education that Naptosa is not satisfied with this decision.

“We have questioned these camps for a long time, we believe that we are looking for trouble particularly with this variant of this virus because those residential camps, the supervision is too little,” said Manuel.

Manuel said they cannot have tutors or teachers “coming in and out” of venues, making it easy for the virus to spread.

“We do not want things to go pair-shaped, it is a good intention, but we can never support this idea,” said Manuel.

NYAKALLO TEFU|

Teacher unions across the country have welcomed the closure of schools from Wednesday 30 June 2021.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Sunday evening during his address on the government’s efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) Spokesperson Kabelo Mahlobongwane said the union is happy and delighted by the president’s decision to close down schools in light of the increasing cases of Covid-19.

Just last week, Mahlobongwane called on teachers to withdraw their labour out of concern for their wellbeing and that of their learners.

Mahlobongwane accused Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga of consulting with certain favoured organisations and stakeholders regarding the decision to keep schools open.

At the time, Mahlobngwane said this move clearly shows that the lives of teachers and learners are not taken seriously by the minister, her department and the stakeholders she consulted.

READ: BREAKING: Schools to shut down from Wednesday

Speaking to Inside Education on Monday, Mahlobongwane said EUSA welcomed the decision, “especially considering that we were the only union that called for the closure of schools and the prioritisation of lives.

“Other unions, together with the minister [of basic education] were adamant that learners must continue going to schools, regardless of the deaths and number of cases,” said Mahlobongwane.

In his address, Ramaphosa said the country will be moving to alert level 4 as the number of Covid-19 cases rise in South Africa.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa reported 15 036 new cases and 122 deaths in the last 24 hours alone.

The institute said Gauteng remains the epicentre of the Covid-19 infections having recorded 9 858 new cases.

According to reports, the Covid-19 Delta variant is the most prevalent variant in the country.

Ramaphosa said the Delta variant has now been detected in five of our provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape. Adding that this particular variant has been dubbed the superior variant as it spreads faster.

Initially schools were set to close on 9 July 2021.  However, Ramaphosa said the closure of schools and other educational institutions will be brought forward for the winter holidays.

READ: Union calls for educators not to go to work for two days

The South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) spokesperson, Mugwena Maluleke, said they are happy with the decision made by the president.

“We have always been very clear that we must be influenced by science and that is what the President said, the decision to close schools was based on science,” said Maluleke.

Maluleke said this will give schools a chance to have a formidable robust tracking and tracing system because it is important for the school community to trace those who may have been affected.

The National Professional Teachers Organization of South Africa’s (Naptosa) Basil Manuel said they were consulted about this decision ahead of time and are happy with the decision taken.

“It didn’t come as a surprise. We met during the week, and we met again on Sunday night at 18:00, we support the call to close but there are issues we are unhappy with,” said Manuel.

“Firstly, we need the schools to be cleaned properly while learners are away by people employed to do that, not just sanitising.

“Secondly the return date, we want learners to reopen on the 26th of July and not 21 July as per the school calendar because,” said Manuel.

He added that the set date of the returning of learners does not sit right with them.

Maluleke said the early reopening of schools will be informed by science, and that it will give learners time to catch up on the work they have not completed by the time schools close.

“We have always said that the pandemic is unpredictable and the numbers that are rising suggest that education from time to time is going to be disrupted,” said Maluleke.

NALEDI SHOTA|

Provincial departments of education have in recently outlined their plans and what they will be prioritising in this financial year through budget vote speeches. 

This week, Inside Education brings you some of the highlights that came out of the budget votes by MECs of education.  

Part two looks at Gauteng, the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Gauteng 

The Gauteng department of education has a budget of R53,4-billion for the 2021/22 financial year. 

In his speech MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi said one of his department’s priority in this financial year is to increase learner enrolment in technical high schools, and as such the department has approved applications to offer  technical subjects and technical fields of specialisation to several schools. 

Lesufi said the department will introduce nine specialisation subjects in the technology pathway and those subjects include: construction, woodworking, digital systems, power systems, electronics, fitting and machining, welding and metal work. 

In this financial year, Lesufi said the department is looking to add 400 refurbished Smart Classrooms, where it will roll out smart technologies to township high schools.

He added that the province was on track in eradicating asbestos schools in the province having demolished four last year. 

Northern Cape 

The Northern Cape department of education received a budget allocation of R7.14 billion. 

MEC for Education Zolile Monakeli said the department has allocated R14 million for about 32 000 learners who will be conditionally, partially or fully exempted from paying school fees.

The learners come from 119 schools out of 138 fee paying schools that applied for compensation for fee exemptions.

Monakeli said the department had set aside R17.56 million to support the Class of 2021 through a matric intervention and turnaround strategy. The strategy includes Saturday classes. 

He also said the department was in the process of finalising the learner transport tender for the province.

The process would be completed before the end of the financial year and will secure a safe and reliable learner transport for the Department at a cost of R168.49 million, he said.

“This is significant as this is one of the mechanisms through which we secure general and universal access to education. The Department is currently transporting 24 559 learners to their respective schools with various modes of transport,” he said.

Monakeli said the department has set aside R633.3 million for the maintenance of and renovation of 49 schools. 

KwaZulu-Natal 

MEC Kwazi Mshengu presented a budget allocation of R 53.184 billion.

Mshengu said the department had commissioned a feasibility study to explore the establishment of schools of mining and arts in the province. This is as part of the department’s programme on specialised schools, he said.

“KwaZulu-Natal is endowed with unmatched talent which most of it remains unprofitable because of the lack of support and nurturing of this talent. 

“Equally, extraction and exporting raw mineral resources is counter-productive as it amounts to exporting jobs. The failure to beneficiate on the mineral resources is an anomaly that must be confronted urgently – hence the need for a School of Mining.  The final decision will be informed by the outcomes of the feasibility studies,” said Mshengu. 

Mshengu also said the department has from this year piloted the occupational stream at 10 mainstream schools in the province. This is in response to the introduction of the three-stream model introduced by the department of basic education where the focus is on academic, technical-vocational and occupational streams.  

“The focus for the occupational stream is on low-intensity occupational skills which individuals can master to start small-scale businesses and to assist them to earn a living straight from school,” he said.

The pilot started in grade eight with subjects including consumer and hospitality studies, mechanical and civil technology as well as agricultural studies.

Mshengu said in this financial year his department would deliver six new schools at different districts as part of the infrastructure development. He also proper sanitation facilities were under construction. 

Mshengu said over the years, the department had lost over R500 million from staff debt staff debt because of the “weaknesses in internal control measures and the outdated operations of the department”.  

“Whilst we need to recover this money from both the ex and current employees of the department, we have to close the tap.

“In addition to the appointed debt collectors, we are also exploring an electronic system for leave management and timeous termination of the employees who have resigned or retired from the service,”  he said.

Schools across the country and contact classes at tertiary institutions will start shutting down from this Wednesday 30 June.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who on Sunday evening addressed the country on the government’s efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Ramaphosa said the closure of schools and other educational institutions for the winter holidays will be brought forward. He said all schools – including private schools – will be expected to be closed by the end of the week – on Friday; and that only limited access to tertiary institutions will be allowed. Ramaphosa said tertiary residences will, however, remain open.

Ramaphosa was addressing the nation following the reporting of sharp increases in the average number of daily new Covid-19 infections across the country.

He said the number of daily new infections was more than doubling, and that hospital admissions were rising. Ramaphosa said the deaths from Covid-19 were increasing by nearly 50%.

“The situation has gotten worse. In addition, we now have the Delta variant. The Delta variant has now been detected in five of our provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape.

“We are concerned about the rapid spread of this variant. “Reports from some countries, including on our continent, also suggest that infections and clinical illness in children may be more common with the delta variant, even as the overall rate of infection remains substantially lower than in adults,” said Ramaphosa.

Just two weeks ago, parents raised their concerns about Department of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga gazetting that on 26 July learners in Grade R to seven, as well as grade R to 12 learners are special needs schools are to return to class daily.

The minister said the current rotational system in place was no longer working.

“It really worries me that we are going to erode the foundations of learning,” said Motshekga two weeks ago.

She said learners were missing out on a lot of work because they would come in one week and skip the next.

The minister’s decision was supported by the DBE portfolio committee.

READ: DBE Portfolio Committee supports return to class full-time for primary and special education learners

Motshekga said: “We continue to monitor the trajectory of the pandemic and make all necessary regulations and directions in line with the Covid-19 risk-adjusted differentiated strategy.

“I realise that there is anxiety about sending all primary school children back to school at once. There’s no need to panic. Our decision making is supported by empirical evidence.”

Her decision came under fierce criticism from some unions and political parties.

The Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) called on teachers across the country to not go to work from Monday 21 June.

Julius Malema, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president also called for the shut down of schools and crèches as the country inched closer to the third wave of the pandemic. 

Malema said it was so painful to lose elderly people in the first and second wave.

Imagine now when we are going to have to bury kids, he said.

“Our children are going to die. We give the minister seven days to close schools. Failure to do so we will have to close schools ourselves as the EFF because we are not going to allow our children to die. We are not going to allow that.

“Can you imagine now when we are going to have to go and bury kids the way we were burying old people,” said Malema.

Malema said it was becoming clearer now that children are affected by the virus as more and more were testing positive for the virus. 

READ: Malema gives Motshekga seven days to shut down schools as Covid-19 cases rise in children

On Sunday, Ramaphosa said what South Africa is seeing is that the existing containment measures in place are not enough to cope with the speed and scale of new infections.

He said government has drawn on international best practice and scientific data from studies across the world when it considered what new measures to take.

“Our priority is to break the chain of transmission by reducing person-to-person contact and thereby help to flatten the curve.

“Based on scientific advice we received from the Ministerial Advisory Committee and further consultation with our provinces and metros and traditional leaders, and on the recommendation of the National Coronavirus Command Council, Cabinet has decided that the country should move to Adjusted Alert Level 4,” said Ramaphosa.

Adding that these additional restrictions will be in place for the next 14 days.

The president said the ministers of basic education and the minister of higher education, science and innovation will provide further details on arrangements.

NALEDI SHOTA|

Provincial departments of education have in recently outlined their plans and what they will be prioritising in this financial year through budget vote speeches. 

This week, Inside Education brings you some of the highlights that came out of the budget votes by MECs of education.  

Part one looks at the Eastern Cape and the North West provinces.

Eastern Cape 

The province received a budget allocation of R35.076 billion for the 2021/22 financial year. 

In his budget speech MEC Fundile Gade outlined the priorities of his department in this financial year including improving literacy and numeracy skills at foundation phase.

Gade said part of this programme will be to provide reading plans to learners in grades R and three. He said the department would also make available guidelines on how parents can assist children to read for meaning. 

“This Reading Academy teacher training is an online course where the department will be able to reach out and train many teachers at a time. The Moodle platform has already been set and is ready to roll out the training,” said Gade. 

Adding that the Foundation Phase teachers will be trained on the methodologies of teaching reading in 2021. 

The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that has major infrastructure backlogs.

READ: DBE Budget vote debate: Eastern Cape Education MEC says corruption by officials is rife in his province

Gade said there were 228 projects in various stages of construction. Of the 228 projects, five major school projects are scheduled for completion in the current financial year. They include a hostel for a special needs school at a cost of R199-million.

He also said that 69 schools would receive sanitation infrastructure support and that the department had budgeted R20-million for sanitation in this financial year.  

Again on infrastructure, Gade said R40-million had been set aside for the rehabilitation, renovation and refurbishments of special schools. 

The other priority for the department is the establishment of special schools in all districts. In this financial year six special schools are set to be opened including an Autism school in Buffalo City Metro. 

Limpopo 

In her presentation of the R32.568 billion for the 2021/22 financial year, MEC Poppy Boshielo said one of the things her province will prioritise is e-learning.

She said this will be prioritised because when schools were closed during hard lockdown and while some learners continued to study online, most learners in Limpopo could not continue with online lessons.

“In order to address this, the department will be rolling out its e- learning strategy,” said Boshielo. 

Boshielo said premier Stanley Mathabatha allocated the department funding of R100 million to start with the rolling out of e-learning. She said the department also made available R128 million for the project.

The total budget for the e-learning programme would be R 228 million. Adding that the department will also provide tablets for learners and laptops to educators. 

“Given the available budget, the department will be implementing e-learning in two grades, grade 1 and grade 8.

“In Grade 1, there are 142 123 learners in the province while in Grade 8 there are 125 645 learners.

“To provide tablets for the Grade 1 learners, it will cost R 355 million and R 314 million for the Grade 8 learners,” said Boshielo. 

The MEC said the department would stagger the provision of tablets and that the programme will start at no-fee schools.

READ: #2020BudgetVote: Limpopo Education MEC Sets Aside R3.4 billion For School Infrastructure

Boshielo said technical schools in the province will partner with mining companies in order to prepare learners with relevant skills needed in the province. A province where mining is one of the major economic activities.  

“An example of such collaboration was launched in Mogalakwena, Phaladingoe Technical School between the department and Anglo-American Platinum, where learners are studying light and heavy electrical engineering courses. 

“These learners are taught from time to time by operations managers from the mine. The equipment and machines that they use have been donated by Anglo Platinum Mine. What is pleasing is that during the weekends, learners make money by fixing electrical appliances like irons, hot plates and kettles in the village. We call on all other mining houses to also come on board to assist the department as we build up this capacity that they need to remain globally competitive while utilising local labour and skills,” she said.

The department has also set aside R34 million for the roll out of the sanitary dignity program and it will be used to provide about 2.3 million packs to 190 000 girl children.

NYAKALLO TEFU|

The Department of Health announced on Friday that more Johnson and Johnson vaccine doses have arrived in the country. The department said these doses have been earmarked for educators across the country.

“The Department of Health has assured the education sector that there will be enough vaccine doses for everybody in the basic education sector as initially announced,” said DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhalnga.

Adding that on Wednesday, when the vaccination programme began, the Department of Health recorded that 49 776 educators and staff received the vaccines with another 55 444 getting inoculated on the second day.

The inoculation in the Western Cape province seems to be slightly delayed.

The province’s Head of Education Brent Walters said some educators should still be registered by their respective schools to receive the vaccine at a later stage.

No further details were given on when or how the process would go for educators who cannot be currently vaccinated. The provincial department only urged schools to still register educators and staff. 

According to the department of basic education, KwaZulu-Natal continues to lead with 32.1% of their target population vaccinated.

The national department said the Eastern Cape registered 21%, Free State at 21.9%, Mpumalanga recording 26% and North West with 22% teachers and staff.

The DBE said the Northern Cape recorded 12%, while Gauteng is at 11% as of Thursday.

The Department of Basic Education began with its vaccination drive on Wednesday. Teachers and non-teaching staff received their first jab of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Since the beginning of the vaccination of educators across the country,  the department said105 000 people have been vaccinated.

Last week, 300 00 Johnson and Johnson vaccines arrived in the country and were earmarked for teachers and supporting staff from both the public and private sector.

Educators and staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 30 days and those who have been vaccinated using another vaccine and anyone who received a flu vaccine in the past 14 days will not be vaccinated.

The vaccination drive will take place until 8 July 2021 where 582 000 educators and supporting staff have been identified to receive the jab.

“We urge all educators and staff to follow the schedule in each district in order to ensure a smooth roll-out of the programme,” said Mhlanga.