Page 34 - Education August 2024

Echoes of the Pandemic:

The Lasting Impact on South Africa’s

Youngest Learners

ohannesburg, South Africa, 10 July
2024: Four years after the most
Jfrightening pandemic in recent
history, the Coronavirus sometimes
feels like a distant memory – or a
nightmare. Yet, many still suffer long-
lasting effects from it. While continued
health issues plague some, others
grapple with emotional traumas,
relationship struggles, and the loss of
income brought on by the pandemic.

Where are we as a society four years
later? Most schools and workplaces
are still dealing with the latest viruses
or flu whilst trying to balance their
workload. But who was most affected
by COVID-19?

ECD Centres and Foundation
Phase Schooling
Learners in ECD Centres and
foundation phase education missed
the opportunity to create vital Smit, and their occupational therapist needs: running water, sanitation,
connections for further learning (OT), Penny Clark, are experts at sufficient food, and stimulation for
and development. The United assessing children’s needs and the learning through play.
States National Library of Medicine gaps in their developing abilities.
reported that children born during the Clark says, “Most individuals’ visual
pandemic (from July 2020 onward) Same Same, But Not Really perceptual skills consolidate by the
had reduced verbal, motor, and overall The saying ‘We’re in the same sea but ages of five and six. If you can cement
cognitive skills compared to children in different boats’ rings true when developmental processes in the brain
born pre-pandemic between 2011 considering the devastating effects from a young age, they are more easily
and 2019. Research from that same the pandemic had on learners from built upon.” Older students may have
report also shows that children from underprivileged areas. battled boredom or discipline issues,
lower-income families were the most but younger students could not gain
affected. One of the most upsetting vital connections in their brains that
considerations is how many children allow for learning later in their school
This data reflects statistics from the spend months hungry because their career.
United States, but examining the after- school also serves as their primary
effects of this virus on our youth is source of nutrition. Schools such as Interrupted Learning
more compelling. Nokuphila provide their learners with According to the Daily Maverick’s
breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily. article on the effects of COVID-19
The Love Trust’s Nokuphila School on children at the end of 2021, Dr
survived the pandemic with the help Nokuphila’s long-time OT, Clark, says Fouzia Munir’s analysis revealed that
of their generous teachers, donors, that when the schools reopened, measures taken to control the spread
and the entire learning community. it became clear that their students of the virus contravened children’s
Their in-house remedial teacher, Laura suffered from lacking their basic rights, resulting in an education crisis.

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