Given the substantial loss of teaching and learning time during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, the key pressure point for the South African education system and many other schooling systems across the world was to re-open schooling. Drawing on data from key education stakeholders in South Africa, this article uses qualitative research methods to…

Parents of young children are often unaware of the general importance of play in children's development and their own roles in children's play. Lack of leisure, lack of space, the COVID-19 pandemic, Early Childhood Centre teacher communication and use of media and digital toys for children, have affected and reduced children's free play. Drawing…

When calamity hits humanity in the form of natural disasters, they appear unannounced. The same applies to the recent destructive and disruptive COVID-19 pandemic. During the early days of this pandemic, life activities were halted abruptly. Global education systems were not spared - most institutions were caught napping and forced to close. The…

Despite high hopes that schools are institutions of integrity and are properly governed, very few have demonstrated this with distinction. With this article we argue that good governance depends on the partnership between schools and parents in times of emergency. The theoretical framework from Epstein's theory of overlapping spheres of influence…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures have had profound impacts on learners and their families globally, affecting their psychosocial wellbeing. However, the extent and nature of these effects, particularly in diverse socioeconomic contexts, remain largely under-explored. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects…

Background: The spread of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has escalated the need for studying the home learning environment (HLE). With learners spending more time at home, understanding about learning at home, especially in disadvantaged communities, is paramount. Aim: The aim of this research study was to explore the HLE for foundation…

With the promulgation of the South African Schools Act, public education in South Africa was decentralised and communities were made responsible for the governance of public schools. White Paper 1 on Education and Training confirmed the inability of the state to meet the financial requirements of public education. Despite the fact that school…

Interest in home-schooling is increasing especially in the era of COVID-19. This pandemic has raised concern among many parents about the future education of their children. Homeschooling is increasingly seen as a safer and more viable option. This paper aims to gauge the potential of home-schooling based on the experiences and perspectives of…