NECT News

In January 2020 Chinese scientists confirmed a cluster of pneumonia cases identified in the city of Wuhan, China which were associated with a novel coronavirus. The virus was named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes has been named coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

Novel diseases such as COVID-19, are met fear which drives stigma about the disease. By virtue of being unknown, coupled with worldwide hysteria and panic, COVID-19 has instilled fear and misunderstanding among communities.

The role of education, in addition to its core mandate to ensure a South Africa in which all our child will have access to lifelong learning, education and training opportunities, is already expanded to include the delivery of non-core services, such as nutrition, safety and protection, socialization and psychosocial support.

COVID-19 casts a light on the burden of untreated trauma and socio-economic distress that South Africa has carried for many generations. The pandemic has exacerbated an already fragile psychosocial, health and economic situation, impacting the fabric of life and disrupting the daily routines that underpin the relations between families, friends and the wider community.

During the unprecedented highs and lows of the 2020 academic year due to COVID-19, the normality for children to attend school to home based learning has changed our basic academic landscape. Suddenly the parents and caregivers had to help wherever possible the keep the children on their academic track.