Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport:
With reference to the scrapping of the rotational school timetable and the resumption of full-time contact teaching:
(1) Whether the After-School Programme (ASP) is being scaled up in response to more learners attending schools; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the ASP will be offered to more youths by providing more schools with an ASP; if so, how many youths in the province are participating in ASPs currently;
(3) whether the ASP will continue to run in a hybrid model; if not, will the ASP return to being run in person;
(5) (a) which ASPs are offered by her Department for 2022 and (b) what services does each programme provide;
whether ASPs are offered to all youths or only at-risk youths?
(1) The After School Programmes have all continued during the rotational timetables, just with fewer learners attending each day. With the resumption of full time schooling the number of learners will return to the pre-Covid numbers. While the Departmental resources for programming have not increased, there is increased support from donors and via the national youth service. This is being leveraged by the After School community in the Western Cape and WCG is working to enable access to more learners via these initiatives by partners.
(2) Currently DCAS supports 411 schools with after school programmes – either MOD and Neighbourhood School Programmes or YearBeyond academic support, scouting and @home learning programmes. Any expansion of these programmes is budget dependant. In addition to direct delivery of After School Programmes the Department works with the sector to build its capacity to expand provision through capacity building and funding for arts and holiday programmes.
(3) All programmes have returned to full face-to-face sessions. Should the Covid-19 regulations require closure of schools, the programmes will return to a hybrid model.
4. The Department continues to offer its MOD and Neighbourhood School recreation, sport, arts and culture programme and the YearBeyond academic support, scouting and @home learning programmes. In addition, the Department has provided funding to various arts NGOs to expand services to learners. A total of 411 schools will be supported in the coming year.
5. Programming is offered to all youth in targeted areas, namely income poor and/or high violence areas. The youth on the programme include but are not limited to at-risk youth.
