A NEW education study has identified strategies governments can use to address the disruptions and learning gaps created by school closures and other responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Produced by the Commonwealth Secretariat and South Africa-based JET Education Services, the report urges governments to build more resilient education systems that can withstand future crises and ensure continuity of educational provision and access to education services, especially for marginalised populations.

The publication, The Impact of COVID-19 on Education Systems in the Commonwealth report (PDF), which is a collation of eleven research papers, drew on the experience and expertise of several researchers and established experts to provide insight into early interventions and mitigation strategies.

It comprehensively examines the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic and identifies priority issues for governments and policymakers to focus on in order to address the possible negative impact on students, particularly those in low-income countries, rural and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Inequalities intensified during lockdown

Using research from a selection of Commonwealth countries, one key finding that was repeatedly highlighted in the report is that of the delivery of education and access to quality education.

The report found that these and other existing educational inequalities were further exacerbated by national lockdowns finding communities that were already disadvantaged and excluded from adequate resources and support before the pandemic in a far much worse situation, leading to the reduction of learning opportunities and school performance.

Data also suggests that being out of school was likely to mean a cessation of learning for girls, who become further engaged in domestic responsibilities, placing them at risk of academic failure and reinforcing community beliefs that educating boys is more important than girls.

And as educational institutions resorted to emergency remote teaching to ensure continuity in the teaching and learning process, this further led to exclusions for marginalised populations who could not afford technology and those living in remote areas where internet connectivity is still a problem.

Urgent action needed to support recovery and transform education post-COVID

To mitigate the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the report suggests, among others:

the need to rethink the curriculum or design an alternative model that can be activated when remote teaching is neededsolutions such as developing and distributing structured school workbooksadjusting the school calendar to maximise teaching time following lockdownre-enrolment of marginalised learners as being of great importance, especially for girls who are at the highest risk of dropping outprovision of supportive environments to enable children to focus on learning, highlighting that parents and teachers have a critical role to play in this, especially those in underserved areasfurther investment is warranted in technologies capable of delivering education remotely

International Day of Education

The release of the publication coincides with the International Day of Education which will be observed on 24th January 2022 under the theme, Changing Course, Transforming Education, putting the spotlight under the gaping inequalities that the pandemic has placed before us and how to build a stronger and sustainable education system to safeguard the futures for this generation and those to come.

Dr Amina Osman, Education Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat and one of the authors of the report, said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought education systems across the world, especially in low-income countries, to a standstill. Millions of students across the world, particularly those from poorer and marginalised backgrounds, are at risk of even further educational exclusion unless urgent action is taken to curb the impact of COVID-19. So, as we mark the International Day of Education, it is clear now more than ever that urgent action needs to be taken by governments and policymakers to respond to the current crisis and support its recovery by building more equitable and resilient education systems to ensure sustained learning for all continues, whether online, in person or hybrid.”

She added, “I hope the recommendations contained within this report will serve as a benchmark to shape future policies to allow students to achieve their full potential. To this end, The Secretariat will continue to work with member countries, stakeholders, and partners, as part of its commitment to advancing Sustainable Development Goal 4 and strengthening education systems and policies across the Commonwealth.”

The paper was produced in partnership with JET Education Services, an education development body based in South Africa, and is the second in a series looking at the impact of the pandemic on education services.

The results of this research paper will feed into individual Commonwealth countries’ decision-making processes.

Reliefweb.int

DEBRA SHEPHERD and NOMPUMELELO MOHOLWANE|

ESTIMATING how many learners have dropped out of school as a consequence of the COVID pandemic is an issue governments across the globe are trying to pin down. The subject has been open to intense debate in South Africa and often receives additional attention when the results for the final year of schooling are due for release.

As academics examining trends in access and learning outcomes over the past decade, we have taken a particular interest in measuring how the pandemic has contributed to learner dropout.

We also want to contribute to a better understanding of learner dropout so that appropriate steps can be taken to address the issue effectively.

In a paper published late last year we attempted to begin to sketch the parameters of how badly COVID-19 had affected school attendance. It was a difficult exercise as a great deal of useful data are not yet available.

The approach we took, therefore, was to use data from the longitudinal National Income Dynamics Study–Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM), a telephonic survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of South African adults aged 18 years and older.

The data was collected across five waves in 2020 and 2021.

We drew specifically from survey results related to education. We used this in combination with data from other household surveys used to track learner attendance, such as the General Household Survey.

In our analysis we estimated that about 1 million learners had not returned to school by April/May 2021. We do, however, expect that many of these learners could get back into the system as and when schools return to daily attendance.

Disengagement from schooling puts students at a greater risk of permanently dropping out of school. It also presents long-term consequences such as reduced participation in further education and training, lower chances of employment and lifetime earnings, and poor health.

The knowns, and unknowns

To try and understand how the education landscape has changed since the pandemic’s onset, we first needed to know how learner non-return to school looked in recent pre-pandemic years. Using data from the 2017 National Income Dynamics Study and 2017-2019 General Household Surveys, we estimated that 290,000 children of school-going age typically didn’t return to school each year.

According to our analysis there has been a close to doubling in the percentage of households with non-attending learners.

The number of non-attending learners per household increased from 1 in recent pre-pandemic years to 1.32 in November 2020 and 1.86 in April/May 2021. We concluded from this that just over 1 million learners were not attending school in April/May 2021.

We then subtracted the 290,000 learners who typically had not returned to school in recent pre-pandemic years, arriving at a number of roughly 700,000 additional learners not attending school in April/May 2021.

The 700,000 and the 290,000 are slightly different cohorts. The pre-pandemic figure of 290,000 of non-returned learners is overwhelmingly made up of children who were no longer legally required to attend school.

By contrast, the additional 700,000 children not returned to school by April/May 2021 are mostly of a compulsory school going age (seven to 15 years old).

Comparing our estimates to enrolment data confirms that our measure may have only shown “extended absenteeism” and not dropout.

Enrolment among compulsory school-aged learners dropped by 19,000 in 2021 and first time enrolments among 4.5- to 6-year-olds dropped by 27,000.

We expect, therefore, that many of the 700,000 non-returned learners could get back into the system as and when schools return to daily attendance.

While analyses of household and school enrolment data are important parts of the puzzle, the ultimate measure for dropout is active participation through administrative daily attendance data. This measure is not available.

Before COVID-19

To put our COVID-19 analysis in perspective, it’s useful to note that before the pandemic South Africa appeared to be making progress in its efforts to raise school enrolments, and retention.

According to the 2019 General Household Survey, levels of attendance among compulsory school-aged learners in South Africa exceeded 98%. Analysis we did based on 2017 data indicated that close to 100% of 6- to 15-year-olds enrolled in school in 2016 returned to school the following year.

Moreover, analyses of large scale national data sets had begun to point towards large improvements in mathematics performance as well as steady improvements in reading since the mid-2000s.

This points to systemic improvements in the quality of learning in the country’s basic education system. This signals not only enrolment but active participation leading to learning.

What needs to be done

So how should the country respond?

Firstly, education researchers should be clear about what’s being referred to when discussing dropout. Is it enrolment, extended absence, or dropout? These provide different estimates and each method has its limitations.

Secondly, the country should continuously engage on the push-out and pull-out factors of disengagement – the process of learners gradually experiencing increasing exclusion from school.

Push-out factors include weak learning outcomes, high fees, and other barriers that limit access to school. Pull-out factors include household and social pressures such as the need to earn an income and increasing child-rearing responsibilities.

Regarding the education sector, pandemic-specific responses should include quantifying and addressing learning gaps and losses. Previous research has shown that poor learning foundations were the largest contributing factor to school dropout.

We also know from international experience that learning gaps from short-term disruptions can compound rapidly if not addressed. Also, evidence from Nigeria showed that continued disruptions lead to continued absence even after schools reopened.

Therefore, continued disruptions to schooling and extended learner absence that goes unaddressed will, in all likelihood, lead to permanent dropout. As parents, teachers, school leaders and broader education stakeholders, we should engage further on how to keep schools open and learners engaged.

Debra Shepherd is senior lecturer Stellenbosch University; Nompumelelo Mohohlwane is education researcher Stellenbosch University.

The Conversation

WENDY MOTHATA|

TRIBUTES continue to pour in following the shooting of Phomolong Secondary school deputy principal, Thembisile Ngendane. She was shot and killed on Friday in Tembisa, Gauteng while  driving out of the school gates.

It is alleged that Ngendane was gunned down by three unidentified men.

Phomolong Secondary school learners have placed candles in a spot where their deputy principal was shot dead. 

The Geography and Mathematics teacher has been described not only as a teacher but also as a mother.

The former leaner from Phomolog Secondary who was also taught by Ngendane, Thabo Sebola said that the school has lost the best teacher.

“I remember her well. She was not only a teacher but a mother to us. Phomolong Secondary School in Tembisa really lost the best teacher. May her soul rest in peace, my former class teacher Ma’am Ngdendane,” he said.

Another former learner, Nhlanhla Ntsandzane said Ngendane was warm-hearted and always willing to listen to help learners.

“Maam Ngendane was down to Earth, warm-hearted. She was always willing to help us, not only with school work but with all the issues we could be facing,” said Ntsandzane.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has visited Phomolong Secondary School on Monday. He said that work is underway to find the killers of the deputy principal, “a plan is in place to track the culprits.”

Lesufi said the police task team have been assigned to track the killers.  He affirmed his confidence in the provincial task team assigned to apprehend the suspects involved in the death of Phomolong Secondary School’s deputy principal within the next 72 hours.

Lesufi further warned against the spread of false information around Ngendane’s death, “This is not a WhatsApp matter, this is real life, this is a person with a family. We can’t allow these criminals to do this to us and we fold our arms.”

Addressing the learners, the MEC said that learners and teachers will be provided with counselling.

He further urged those with information about the shooting to inform the police.

Family spokesperson Yolo Ngendane said the family was shocked on Friday when they received the news about the shooting.

“On Friday, we were shocked when we received the news about the passing of our daughter. We don’t even know how and why it happened because she is a calm person. It hurts but we are thankful for people who come and comfort us,” he said.

In an interview with Jacaranda FM. Thembisile’s husband, Wiseman Ngendane said: “There was minimal acceptance to me regarding the allegation that a matric pupil shot her because the pupil failed Grade 12, to me it looks like the alleged student was used to shoot her, my suspicion was that my wife was recently promoted, and she had competitors at school.

Wiseman further added: “Thembisile was friendly to the students, she loved them, she never complained about the students. My suspicion is that it was an inside job, even some SGB members said it was an inside job.”

* Inside Education

VICKY ABRAHAM

A FORMER domestic worker and a street hawker from Roodepoort, Johannesburg, is a living testimony that nothing is impossible in life.

Mrs Victoria Bomouan, 41, who is now an owner of a crèche, pre and primary school, spent four years as a domestic worker smelling, tasting and touching wealth in her employers’ estates where she was cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing clothes, and taking care of children.

But come holiday times, she went back to a one-bedroom mud-house in Ganyesa rural area in the North West province, which is owned by her 96-year-old grandmother, Mrs Otlagomodiwaeng Molapong.

She shared the one-bedroom mud-house with ten of her family members and they survived through Molapong’s pension grant.

Mrs Bomouan did not allow her background to deter her from achieving her goal of owning schools.  She has proven that she is not destined to work as a domestic worker for the rest of her life, but predestined for greater heights in life.  

She is now the co-director and founder of a primary school called, Ruach Christian School (meaning Holy Spirit in Hebrew). Ruach Christian School was launched early last year by Mrs Bomouan and her husband, Dr Maurice Bomouan (45), who previously worked as a car guard.

Ruach Christian School caters for Grade R learners (pre-school) to Grade 7 (primary school). The school will soon accommodate Grade 8 to 12 high school students.

The school is situated on the first floor of a building dubbed, “Absa building” in Roodepoort where the Bomouans started out their lives as a married couple in 2004.

This building has three floors and a car guard’s quarters at the backyard. It had first accommodated Dr Bomouan as an employee and his wife in the car guards’ quarters. But, two floors have now transformed into their business hub.

Not far from the street where Mrs Bomouan worked as a hawker around 2004, is Christian Creche, an NPO that she founded in 2011. It is situated in their first house that they purchased in 2006 which they have converted into a crèche.

Sharing her life experience with us, Mrs Bomouan said it took her almost 21 years to succeed in life.

“I came to Joburg in 2000 and lived in Tembisa. I got a job as a domestic worker in Clubview in Centurion. I was getting paid R50 per day and I worked on Saturdays only. Therefore, I was getting paid R200 per month. It was a lot of money back then. The owner of the house that I worked for gave me bedding stuff and I was excited. He would give me cooked and raw food, clothing and stuff for babies. But I did not have a child by then.”

Mrs Bomouan enjoyed her work as a domestic worker and did not experience any challenges.

“My mom was very strict. She taught me housework at the age of 12. Therefore, I did not experience challenges in my job as a domestic worker. I was just relaxed in my job.”

She worked for different employers in different cities around the Gauteng province. She later obtained a similar job and earned R800 per month.

“I also looked after my aunt’s kids. They would not give me money but a plate of food because there was no food at home. My mom was working but there was not enough money. I and four of my siblings, and six of my aunts’ children depended on my grandmother’s pension grant, I think it was around R600 or R800 per month,” said Mrs Bomouan.

According to International Labour Organization (ILO), there are 75.6 million domestic workers worldwide and 76.2 per cent are women and a quarter are men.

Mrs Bomouan’s work as a domestic worker ended at Rumisig where she earned R70 per day. To make ends meet, she later started an informal business as a hawker.

“I ran a public phone business and charged 50cents per call. My husband would push my trolley (to her selling spot), containing a chair for me to sit on while waiting for customers, an umbrella, public phone and its battery charger, two trays of eggs and sweets that I was selling.”

“I sat under the sun, heavy rains and strong winds waiting for customers to come and buy from me and make phone calls. The umbrella was not that strong. It would break when it was too windy. It was not nice.”

Her husband, who used savings from his meager salary as a car guard to start a vehicle registration, licensing, renewal, and number plates business, later brought her into the business.

The business which started from humble beginnings currently provides its service to well-known car dealers. It was through this business that they were successfully granted a home loan from the bank to purchase their first house which they later converted to a crèche.

She says her love for children propelled her to start Christian Creche. It was also prompted by the fact that her son was not properly looked after at the crèche he attended. “He was constantly sick because they were not looking after the kids properly. The meals were not well balanced. They ate tinned fish and rice every day. I said to myself, ‘now it’s time to start what I have a passion for (opening a crèche)’.”

Mrs Bomouan who has a Diploma in Ministry with Spirit Life Bible College and a Certificate in Ministry with Team Impact University,  has registered with the University of South Africa (UNISA) to study towards a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Development: Foundation Phase) this year.

She explained that it was through the guidance of a fellow church member who is a qualified educator that she was able to register the crèche with the government’s Department of Social Development. But it did not happen overnight as there were lots of hurdles and procedures that they had to undergo to qualify to register it.

Christian Creche accommodates children from different ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.

Dr Bomouan said, “We are a Christian home (crèche), but Muslim parents allowed their children to be enrolled with us and teach them the Bible. They did not even complain that the food was not halaal. Jesus Christ is the foundation of our business. Parents from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia also enrolled their kids”.

Based on how Mrs Bomouan and her team of qualified educators successfully operated the creche, the Department of Education allowed her to register Ruach Christian School (primary school).

An elated Mrs Bomouan said, “I praise the Lord when I think about what He has done for me. I was very excited when we learned that the primary school is already approved for registration. I sang to the Lord. It has been in operation for a year. I am so excited, I thank God”.

Reflecting on the effect of Covid-19 on her business she said, “Covid-19 has not only affected us but all nations, all race, the poor and rich. We have learned how to trust the Lord in good and bad times. In 2020, our finances were affected (due to Covid-19) so badly. The crèche was closed for six months, no work, no salary, but we were making sure we updated the parents concerning the reopening of the crèche. Remember, the primary school only opened last year”.

* Inside Education

THE Department of Basic Education will pilot the new General Education Certificate (GEC) at hundreds of South African schools in 2022, with plans to roll out the certificate to all schools in the country by the 2024 school year.

Basic Education minister said Angie Motshekga said the GEC is seen as an ‘important and progressive qualification’ that will improve career pathing, employability and reduce dropout rates of South African students.

“It allows for learners after 10 years of schooling (Grade R9), to be recognised for their levels of curriculum attainment, general capabilities and talents,” said Motshekga.

“Information and scores from the 21st-century skills into School-Based Assessment (SBA); standardised curriculum tests and through an inclination (or talent) assessment, will be used to generate a report card, reflecting a holistic dashboard of learner’s skills and capabilities.”

Motshekga said broad consultations around the certificate have already taken place with stakeholders, partners, and experts on the most appropriate model for the GEC, and public comments have been considered in introducing the policy.

“This year, about 300 schools will participate in the GEC pilot, with further up-scaling planned for 2023. By 2024, all schools will be participating GEC policy,” she said.

The GEC is intended to formally recognise learners’ achievements at the end of the compulsory phase of schooling. Its primary purpose is to facilitate subject choices beyond Grade 9 and articulation between schools and TVET colleges.

Under the current system, hundreds of students leave the school system each year without a qualification, hindering them from finding jobs.

While the department has reiterated that this is not an exit point for learners from the school system: the certificate will provide better decision-making for learners, especially those who may shift focus to more technical subjects and trades instead of a singular focus on a college or university education

* BusinessTech

SOUTH Africa are the first women’s team through to the semi-finals of hockey’s Africa Cup of Nations in Accra following a 6-0 win against Namibia.

The defending champions now have two wins from two games and Tarryn Glasby has three goals for the tournament after a brace against the Namibians.

Nomnikelo Veto, Lillian du Plessis, Tehan Fourie and Stephanie Botha also scored.

Zimbabwe beat Uganda 5-0 in the other Pool A match, with Natalie Terblanche scoring two goals.

Nigeria picked up their first win of the tournament against Zambia, winning 2-1 thanks to Esther Billo’s goal four minutes from time.

Kenya’s women have arrived in the Ghanaian capital, but not in time to fulfil today’s fixture against the hosts, who were given a 5-0 walkover win.

In the men’s tournament, Kenya enjoyed a far better day.

Its job done as second half goals from Lombard, Veto and Fourie completed a 6-0 win over the Namibians. pic.twitter.com/6lIeXu5wHG

— SA Hockey (@SA_Hockey) January 18, 2022

Having arrived in time to play Namibia, they duly won 4-1 and are therefore already through to the semi-finals.

So too are Egypt, who squeezed past the hosts 1-0 to win Pool B.

Ahmed Elganaini scored the crucial goal in the 55th minute. 

Nigeria thrashed Uganda in the other Pool B match and only a heavy defeat against Ghana can stop them advancing.

South Africa are the defending men’s and women’s champions and action continues tomorrow.

InsideTheGames.com

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA|

AS the country strives to recover from the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing science and innovation playing a far more prominent role both in our efforts to overcome the disease and rebuild our economy.

Last week I attended the launch of a state-of-the-art vaccine manufacturing campus in Cape Town. The facility forms part of a multi-million rand investment by the multinational technology company NANTWorks, which is headed by South African born scientist Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong.

South Africa already has advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in companies like Aspen Pharmacare, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines and Biovac Institute, which is a public-private initiative.

These projects will greatly aid South Africa in our quest to become a hub of scientific innovation, research and development, especially in vaccine manufacturing for COVID-19, cancer, tuberculosis and other future pandemics.

Thousands of miles away, in Cape Canaveral in the United States, the aerospace company SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched three SA-made nanosatellites into space.

The satellites form part of a project to detect, identify and monitor shipping vessels along our coastline.

These are just some of the projects that demonstrate how science and technology have a key role to play in our economic recovery, in attracting greater levels of investment, and in contributing to skills, knowledge and technology transfer to capacitate our country’s workforce.

We are therefore prioritising investment in science, technology and innovation to revitalise and modernise existing industries, as well as to create new sources of growth and stimulate industrialisation. There is huge potential in agriculture, mining, energy and manufacturing, among others.

This is an area where, as government, we have been pursuing several collaborative partnerships with the private sector and academia to broaden the frontiers of scientific endeavour.

We have, for example, undertaken projects around hydrogen, energy storage and renewable energy.

We have supported emerging farmers through the Agricultural Bio-Innovation Partnership Programme. Government also has funding partnerships with a number of South African universities in the field of nanotechnology development.

We are looking far into space by enhancing the capabilities of the South African Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project and supporting a number of new discoveries using the MeerKAT telescope.

At the same time we are using science to support and guide municipalities to plan for and assess the risks of climate change.

We are looking at how to harness new technologies for development, such as using 3D printing to build houses.

To build on our successes and forge ahead with our transformation to a truly digital economy and society, we rely on a combination of technical skill and intellectual enterprise.

Visiting the Biomedical Research Institute at the University of Stellenbosch last week, for which our government has invested R300 million, it was not so much the impressive laboratories that inspired awe, but rather the human skills and capabilities that had enabled such innovative research.

We need solid investment in skills development in these different industries, and a firm commitment to increase the number of students studying science, if we are to promote scientific excellence and its attendant economic benefits.

We will therefore continue to support initiatives such as the Grassroots Innovation Programme of the Department of Science and Innovation, which provides support to local innovators to develop their concepts, create prototypes and commercialise their ideas.

There is also the Imvelisi Enviropreneurs Programme that has boot-camps and business mentoring for innovators in the green economy, and a host of other incubation initiatives being piloted on campuses across the country in areas such as deep learning, artificial intelligence and data science.

As we strive to harness science, technology and innovation in the cause of economic growth, we must provide all the necessary support to innovators and become a country that nurtures great ideas.

As we have demonstrated during the course of this pandemic, South Africa is more than capable of holding its own in the international scientific community.

Through the combination of our established scientific infrastructure and expertise, new investment in research and development and support to budding innovators, we will and are  able to propel our country into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

And most importantly, we will be able to more effectively use technology to grow our economy, create jobs and improve people’s lives.

* From the desk of the President

VICKY ABRAHAM|

GAUTENG Department of Education (GDE) MEC Panyaza Lesufi, has praised the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, for her bravery and effortless fight to ensure that all learners across the country continue with traditional schooling despite the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed 93 846 lives in the country.

South Africa is among the countries that are hard-hit by Covid-19, with 3.57 million cases.

Addressing guests and top Gauteng learners who have excelled despite the pandemic, Lesufi also took a swipe at the former leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Mmusi Maimane for fighting tirelessly that learners in Gauteng should not resume face-to-face schooling to avoid infection. 

“When others felt that these children that you are honouring should stay at home and do one thing, to play and not to come to school, our Minister stood firm, went to cabinet and government and declared that our children are better off inside the classroom, not at home,” said Lesufi during the 2021 announcement of matric results celebration yesterday at Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg.

Out of 127 353 Gauteng learners who wrote their 2021 matric exams, 55 773 of them passed with a bachelor’s degree, 34 132 with a diploma and 15 438 with a certificate.

The Gauteng province is rated second achiever in terms of the pass rate across the country with 82.8%, running behind the Free State that scooped 85.6%.

Lesufi believes the competition between his region and Free State is a healthy one and prays that soon they will take the crown from them. 

“I want to take this opportunity to thank our Minister of Basic Education Mme Angie Motshekga for that brave stunt. If it was not for our Minister, we would not celebrate the victories of these children.” 

In reference to Maimane without mentioning his name, Lesufi said in Kasi lingo, “If it was about this Umjita (township lingo for a guy) our children would be at home doing something that is commonly known, Sigita S’bekaneni (loitering) and not being at school”.  

He said the GDE’s mandate is to ensure that every child is given an equal opportunity to succeed. 

“Ours (mandate) is clear. It is to use education as an enabler to defeat poverty, inequality and unemployment. It is to open all the doors of learning and culture.”

He said yesterday’s celebration was to “honour all our learners from all racial groupings and communities in our province. We do so, proudly that when others told us to close schools, we said we are influenced by science and science indicated there was no need to close schools and today we are celebrating learners that went to school”.

* Inside Education

STAFF REPORTER|

POLICE are currently investigating a case of murder after a high school deputy principal was shot dead on Friday night in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.

It is reported that the shooting occurred whilst the deputy principal was driving out of the school gates. 

Three gunmen approached her vehicle and allegedly shot the principal 3 times. 

She subsequently got out of her car trying to escape the gunmen but the principal fell. 

The gunmen fired twice while she was on the ground and fled without taking anything from he

Police are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist apprehend the suspects to please call the nearest police station or crime stop on 08600 10111.

Information can also be given anonymously via MySAPS App that can be downloaded from any smartphone.

At this stage, police could not confirm the motive behind the shooting.

“The motive for the murder cannot be confirmed at this stage. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were three and driving in a white vehicle,” said Gauteng SAPS spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.

Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi said the incident occurred in the afternoon when the 50-year-old woman was driving out of the school gate.

“Three gunmen suddenly appeared and allegedly shot her three times through the passenger window. Subsequently, she got out of her car trying to evade the hailstorm of bullets, but she fell just beside the car,” he said.

“One of the gunmen allegedly shot her twice while she was on the ground, and they fled the scene without taking anything from her,” he said.

* Inside Education

WENDY MOTHATA|

THE overall top National Senior Certificate (NSC) learner for matric class 2021, Ulrich le Roux from Paarl Boys’ High School in said that he is happy with the results he achieved.

This comes after a year of learning under difficult COVID-19 circumstances.

Le Roux, who plans to study actuarial sciences at Stellenbosch University, said that being an overall top achiever was unexpected.

However, he said he is excited and looking forward to this year’s studies.

“I must say, it was quite unexpected, but I’m very happy with what I achieved and I’m looking forward to this year’s studies and years to come,” he said.

On Thursday, le Roux was one of the learners who were attending a breakfast session with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga at Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg.

Later that evening, le Roux was honoured with a standing ovation from his fellow peers and some of the dignitaries that attended the announcing of the matric results.

On Thursday, Motshekga announced the pass rate for the 2021 cohort was 76.4%. This is an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the 2020 matric pass rate (76.2%).

The total number of candidates, who registered for the 2021 NSC exams was 897 163.

In her speech, Motshekga said, “You are top pupils produced by the class of 2021. You are the epitome of success. Don’t forget that you are the best of the best that the country has produced.”

The minister further said that the class of 2021was the most affected by the COVID-19.

 “The Class of 2021 was the most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic because they had to endure two consecutive years of harsh exposure to the unrelenting Covid-19 pandemic,” said Motshekga.

* Inside Education