School

Good day,

Trust you are well.

Please can you advise me on when ALL schools in Gauteng may resume school at full capacity again?

I have noted that most schools in Gauteng are running at full capacity and these learners are benefitting tremendously being back at school full time, after such a long period of complete disruption caused by Covid.

At the same time, I have also noted that some schools (including that of my children) are still only operating at half capacity, more than a year later and the damage to these children's educational growth is becoming irreversible and unrepairable.

Since March 2020 we have been drowning in homework. Understandably to ensure that the children dont fall behind. The problem is that the homework is so much, that the children cant keep their heads above water.

My kids go to school every second day and the amount of homework they get for these days at home, keep them busy from 9h00 in the morning until after 19h00 at night with minimal breaks inbetween.

This not only leads to increased amounts of stress to complete their tasks on time, but also to work being completed as fast as possible. So not much thought or concentration goes into the homework, as there is not enough time to concentrate and memorize any of the work done.

My kids are very stressed, they feel uncertain of themselves and have no faith at all in their academic future anymore.

I have asked our school numerous times for assistance, extra classes after school or school on a daily basis again, but they are not willing to accomodate any requests due to Covid.

They are always willing to send more homework, which I have been declining, as I cannot allow any more pressure on my children.

Please, I am begging you to please give the go ahead for children to go back to school at full capacity. The damage that has been done to their learning and growth is enough. We cannot continue like this.

Children are stressed out, over worked, being pushed to breaking point, depressed, self conscious and anxious all the time due to these ongoing regulations.

I cannot stand to see children all over South Africa continuing to suffer like this. If this goes on, they will have no future.

Please please please, lets open all of the schools at full capacity again. We are afterall paying at full capacity, yet were getting less then half of the education that our children deserve.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards, distressed mom.