Page 20 - Education Feature Issue 2 2021

EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

BRING BACK ABSENT LEARNERS BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH HOUSEHOLDS AND
COMMUNITIES
“It’s imperative that schools rapidly ramp up their
reintegration programmes by tracking absent “During the hard lockdown last year, we found that when learners were able to maintain
learners to ascertain why they haven’t returned contact with their teachers through instant messages or other methods, they felt contained
to school, and to ensure disengaged learners get and supported,” Mansfield points out.
the right type of support,” says Mansfield.
When schools closed for a protracted period in 2020, educators were forced to find new
“To build safety nets around our learners, ways to communicate with their learners, sometimes using low-tech or no-tech options,
educators must alert parents and caregivers such as sending worksheets home.
via letters, phone calls or text messages
when a child is absent to avoid them getting “We encourage schools to also think creatively about how to keep caregivers connected to
deregistered and falling through the cracks of their children’s schooling while learners spend longer periods at home,” says Mansfield.
the schooling system,” she adds. “As we grapple
with ongoing disruptions to schooling, educators Keeping open channels of communication between schools and households starts with
must keep better records of individual learners.” ensuring that teachers have up-to-date contact details for parents and caregivers.

“Prior to the pandemic, teachers often “To get our learners back to class, we need schools and households to work together
neglected taking daily attendance registers – each recognising their joint responsibility in supporting learners to stay in school,”
— a simple mechanism that would help to Mansfield concludes.
identify learners who are chronically absent.
By tracking individual learners’ absenteeism, References
academic performance and behaviour, - https://cramsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/1.-Spaull-N.-Daniels-R.-C-et-al.-
educators can better understand their 2021-NIDS-CRAM-Wave-5-Synthesis-Report.pdf
struggles and pathways through school. This - NIDS-CRAM Survey, by Debra Shepherd of the University of Stellenbosch and
allows schools to identify learners that are Nompumelelo Mohohlwane of the Department of Basic Education dated 8 July 2021
at risk of dropout, and design well-informed
support programmes as early as possible.” For more information, visit: www.zerodropout.co.za

Pumza Ndamase Merle Mansfield Seshego Kgopa Rahima Essop Nosipho Waqu

Education | August 2021 | 18