Image:The Covid-19 pandemic won’t give rise to a lost generation like the 1976 Soweto uprising did, but it could result in lost schooling.
According to SA History Online, the uprising that started in Soweto and spread countrywide “profoundly changed the sociopolitical landscape in South Africa”. “The legacy of decades of inferior education has lasted far beyond the introduction of a single educational system in 1994 with the first democratic elections,” SA History Online stated.
“The return to school will follow our victory over Covid. There is no lost generation, simply a lost year. Many children go to school late or drop out and return later, but they are alive. “Most learners want to return when it is safe to do so. You may, of course, get a certain number who will use this as an excuse to drop out of school, but I don’t think this will be the norm.
She believes the loss of parents or guardians may also force children to leave school to care for their siblings.