Question NW722 to the Minister of Basic Education

Share this page:

08 June 2020 - NW722

Profile picture: Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI

Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(1)  With reference to the various initiatives launched by her department to provide online learning to school learners and tertiary students during the national lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19, what number of learners residing in(a) urban and (b) rural areas received reliable internet connections in the Republic; (2) what coverage of the curriculum has she found (a) did online learning initiatives manage to cover for each grade and (b) did learners manage to catch up in each case?

Reply:

1)  With reference to the various initiatives launched by her department to provide online learning to school learners and tertiary students during the national lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19, what number of learners residing in 

(a) urban and (b) rural areas received reliable internet connections in the Republic;

Connectivity is the responsibility of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT). However, the DCDT and Department of Basic Education (DBE), in collaboration with Mobile Network Operators, have provided zero-rating to almost 200 websites.  These websites provide teachers and learners with educational resources.

(2)  (a) The websites provide CAPS-aligned Curriculum and enrichment content from Early Childhood Development to Grade 12.

(b) Not all learners have access to electronic devices, but learners manage to catch up.    

Source file