While schools are currently closed for the mid-year break, load shedding continues to cause serious disruption to education in the Western Cape.
Western Cape Minister of Education David Maynier says the winter break is a critical time for learners as winter school and revision programmes are underway.
“These are especially important for our matrics as they count the weeks down until the National Senior Certificate exams,” he says.
Districts across the province have reported load shedding is posing a serious challenge to the implementation of these programmes.
Maynier says challenges include learners arriving late, because it is not safe to walk to their transport when there is load shedding where they live. “The power cuts have left classrooms dark, with learners having to shift around to venues with enough natural light,” he said. “Teachers and facilitators cannot use overhead projection or eLearning tools at certain times, and streamed lessons to some schools have had to be cancelled as there was no power to receive them.”
Maynier added that in addition, learners accessing the ePortal resources from home are affected, with power cuts leaving both website servers and learners homes without electricity.
Other programmes have also been affected, such as the meal times when learners are provided with a meal, and times have had to be moved around to times when electricity is available. “Some of our Safe Schools programmes have had to be postponed or cancelled. Staff at our district offices are frequently without internet connectivity or phone access.”
Maynier says his department is ensuring most of its programmes can go ahead, despite the disruption and frustration. “We thank our office-based staff, teachers and facilitators for thinking on their feet to ensure some teaching and learning can still take place,” he said, “and we thank our learners for their continued commitment to making the most of these learning opportunities.”
To reduce demand on the grid the LED lighting project, in partnership with Stellenbosch University, sees the replacement of outdated fluorescent lights with LED lights projecting savings of 11 742 kWh per year per school, while reducing their electricity bills.
“We will continue to do everything we can to support schools in managing the impact of load shedding, to ensure no matter what stage the country finds itself in, quality education can continue in the Western Cape.”
