Previously, the battle was for a spot at their school of preference, but recently, it’s about finding a spot at all.
But, all is not lost. Online schools are flourishing and should be considered by families. According to John Shaw, CEO of Teneo Online School, online schools embody the new paradigm shift we’ve experienced over the past two years, proving that live, structured online schooling could be the tonic our education system so desperately needs.
Online schools embody the new paradigm shift we have experienced over the past two years, proving that live, structured online schooling could be the tonic our education system so desperately needs.
Demand versus infrastructure in a gentrified South Africa. The biggest issue contributing to the majority of unplaced children at the beginning of each school year is infrastructure. Most parents are location-driven and enrol their children at a school nearby, but gentrification has changed the game.
Fighting for a spot in “feeder” schools. As South Africa ramps up efforts to address inequality, one must look at how hard it can be to get children into public schools that can only accommodate a limited number of students. “The question then becomes: how do they choose who gets accepted, and this is a contentious issue,” says Shaw.
The solution: focus on the new paradigm. The world is not behaving as it did before the pandemic began. There has been a shift in paradigm where people are now looking at the optimal way of doing things.
“One no longer needs to go to the shops when items can be delivered, or go to the office when one can work from anywhere – and the same is true for education,” says Shaw, citing the huge increase in enquiries Teneo Online School continues to receive despite the fact that the pandemic is subsiding.
Teneo offers various curricula, including the South African National (CAPS) curriculum, Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curriculum and British International curriculum, recognised both locally and internationally, making it easy for students to transition into an international online university.
“At the end of the day, parents send their children to school with one goal in mind: to set them up for future success. There are countless students thriving within the online education environment who walk away with their accredited Matric certificate just like everybody else. It’s about finding what works best for your child and what will yield the best results for their future,” concludes Shaw.