Brainline welcomes Basic Education Minister’s comments that homeschooling a viable option for parents uncomfortable sending children back to school amid Covid-19

Home education provider, Brainline, has welcomed comments by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, that parents who are not comfortable sending their children to school next month over fears of the coronavirus pandemic, should consider homeschooling. 

During a media briefing on Tuesday, the Minister indicated that the first group of pupils, Gr 7 and 12, will return to school on 1 June, while other grades would follow in due course.

Brainline CEO, Coleen Cronje, says that parents are confronted with challenges around balancing education and their children’s safety. ‘Despite assurances by the Department that measures will be put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in schools, many parents are still in doubt as to whether they should send their children back to school or follow the home-schooling option. It is a personal choice, but home-schooling is a safe, secure and viable option, as learners are not impacted by school closures, a phased-in approach of grades or by unsafe environments. Home schooling can provide the necessary peace of mind for parents,’ she says.

During her briefing, Motshekga urged parents to work closely with schools to ensure pupils with pre-existing illnesses are accommodated. Cronje says that home-schooling would be the safest option for this category of students. Meanwhile, she says more clarity is needed on the phasing in of other grades as well as the 2020 school calendar.

Cronje says that, while they welcome the reopening of schools, it is vital to ensure the health and safety of learners.

‘The Minister has given the assurance that preparations are in place to ensure a safe and secure environment for students upon their arrival. It is, however, of the utmost importance to ensure that these measures are adhered to, as we are dealing with children’s lives.’

As an online school, Brainline has been able to provide continuous education to learners during the lockdown period. For this reason, parents can rest assured that should they decide to use Brainline as their virtual school, the continuous academic education of their children is secured.

Brainline is IEB recognised, which means that learners follow the South African National Curriculum (similar to the curriculum offered in South African schools) resulting in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) upon successful completion of their matric exams.