JOHANNESBURG - The Basic Education Department agreed that rotational learning was contributing to the high dropout and low attendance rates in schools and that it was up to the relevant departments to get youngsters back into the classroom.But according to a telephonic survey by NIDS-CRAM, an estimated 700,000 pupils left the education system during the four COVID-19 waves between 2020 and 2021.
Nompumelelo Mohohlwane is an education researcher for the department and she said that it was important that all pupils went back to the classroom full-time soon. "We have been lobbying for the full return to school since the beginning and various proposals have been presented to the ministerial committee and to the National Command Council, with the latest request being the full return to school for children."