Education
- Whether her Department can provide a report on school attendance for all the schools in Valhalla Park for all the grades from June 2020 to date; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether her Department receives records of absenteeism; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether her Department receives copies of the letters that parents must sign when learners are absent; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether her Department can provide statistics of school attendance in the province since June 2020; if so, what are the relevant details?
- (1) Yes – the WCED has a record of the attendance for learners at the 3 schools in Valhalla Park (Valpark Primary School, Parkvale Primary School and Beauvallon Secondary School). Schools submitted daily screening data online and learners were marked present if they were screened and stayed at school for the whole day.
2020 | GR1 | GR2 | GR3 | GR4 | GR5 | GR6 | GR7 |
24 July | 0,00% | 0,00% | 36,59% | 0,00% | 0,00% | 41,34% | 45,28% |
4 Sep | 63,22% | 56,76% | 60,98% | 58,47% | 60,94% | 49,72% | 55,35% |
2020 | GR8 | GR9 | GR10 | GR11 | GR12 |
24 July | 0,00% | 0,00% | 2,50% | 6,90% | 69,23% |
4 Sep | 69,17% | 74,65% | 82,50% | 65,52% | 80,77% |
Grades returned to class in phases.
As at the end of Term 2 (24 July 2020), only Grades 3, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12 had returned to school in terms of the gazetted directions (taking into account that a number of schools brought additional grades back sooner by informing the Head of Department).
All learners (according to social distancing timetabling models) had returned to class by 4 September 2020.
Attendance in all grades in these schools has improved.
(2) Yes. Schools capture a summary of their Quarterly Learner Absenteeism Record on CEMIS. During the Covid-19 pandemic, daily screening data is also being used to mark learners present at school.
(3) No. The department does not receive copies of such letters. Schools keep copies of letters from parents when learners stay absent.
(4) Yes. The WCED has compiled a comprehensive response to a similar question from the Standing Committee, and the response will be tabled.
