Page 35 - Education August 2024

Clark admits that upon returning to staff like Nokuphila have never given Building Back Better
school, the Grade 000’s (age 3-4) up on their dreams. They aspire to Despite the significant challenges
results from their annual screening provide quality education, which offers posed by the pandemic, the children
assessment were dismal. This indicates hope for their entire community. at Nokuphila have demonstrated
that they were not being stimulated remarkable resilience. With the
enough without attending school. Remedial teacher Laura Smit has steadfast support of dedicated
been part of the school’s fabric educators, therapists, and their
Grades 1 and 2 are critical years since 2018 and witnessed all the communities, these young children are
for learners, where they learn the changes during this tumultuous time. developing robust coping mechanisms
foundation rules for languages and From the hard lockdown to their that will serve them well throughout
numeracy. Concepts are embedded full re-opening, the stop-and-start their lives.
into their thinking and then applied mechanism of the lockdown levels
across numerous subjects. When you was trying for both learners and staff, While the pandemic undoubtedly set
consider that the language taught but they forged ahead, knowing it back many learners’ developmental
in school is often a learner’s third would get easier. progress, the collective efforts to
or fourth language in South Africa, address these delays are fostering a
reality dawns on what a catastrophe Smit says, “For the kids who previously generation that is not only resilient
it is to lack exposure to the language had a small learning gap, it would but also equipped with the tools to
at school through simple ‘storytime’ have possibly meant a term or two in overcome adversity.
rituals. remedial to close that gap, whereas
most of them now need closer to a
Beyond the Classroom year.” About The Love Trust
Outside of the 2020 classroom setup The Love Trust is dedicated to
with rigorous social distancing, space This reinforces Clark’s sentiment breaking the cycle of poverty
through education. We work with
and individualised play boxes, sand about the building blocks of learning change agents in South Africa and
pits, and jungle gyms had to remain being more complex to relay at a later abroad to make a lasting impact on
closed to many learners when they stage. Smit stresses that language vulnerable communities across the
returned. Ruled as unsafe, these were and speech development are vital country.
‘no-go’ zones, and learners missed out when preparing for Grade 1, and
on the sensory joy of sand and water many educational milestones are now We focus on providing quality
play and the benefits of crossing their playing catch-up. Christian education and social
midline on the jungle gym. care to vulnerable learners at our
Strategies to Support Students Nokuphila School in Thembisa,
Crossing the midline is reaching at Home Midrand. We also train black
across your middle to the opposite In cases where remedial and OT South African women to become
side of your body, a significant growth are not viable, there are still many accredited early childhood
milestone involving using both sides of exercises which Smit and Clark urge development (ECD) teachers.
the brain for smooth and coordinated carers to do at home:
movements. Fine and gross motor • Remember, children learn through We support the South African
skills were both affected by the lack play. You can create your own home government’s commitment to the
of free play and organised activities. version of ‘snap’ or dominoes. UN Sustainable Development Goals
The expectation that learners pick up • Language exposure is key. Visit a (SDGs) and work with our partners
where they left off was unrealistic and local library for storybooks and try to create a resilient organisation
unfair to them and their teachers. to listen to radio or TV shows in that benefits the communities we
their learning language. serve.
Persevering Through the • Stimulate all the senses. Encourage
Pandemic your child to get involved in cooking Our plans include expanding our
With time often comes healing, and as and other chores at home. You can school to include Grades 8 and 9
the panic around the pandemic faded, involve a rhyming game or song to and developing a curriculum for
so did the anxiety and restrictions keep it fun. ECD teachers.
stopping educational facilities from • Create a routine during school
being as effective as they would have holidays that still promotes learning. We actively seek collaborative
hoped. Whether counting potatoes for partnerships with organisations
supper or creating art out of old that share our vision of delivering
Whilst the new challenges seemed grocery boxes, almost every activity quality education to vulnerable
communities.
overwhelming, the inspiring school can provide learning in some form.

Education | August 2024 | 33