GDE to partner with DStv to air school-related content

Amidst the 21 day national lockdown which will see families bond like during any other holiday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has provided platforms for both parents and learners to access educational programmes.

GDE reiterated that access to educational websites and additional platforms for necessary content will be provided for learners both on television or various websites to do catch-up programmes.

These are the ones to utilise: education.gauteng.gov.za; www.skool.com; www.mathsisfun.com; https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy; https://phet.colorado.edu/; https://za.ixl.com; https://techcentral.co.za/telkom-zero-rates-educaion-websites-amid-coronavrius-outbreak/96575/; and https://twitter.com/laurenfok1/status/1239518502836461568?s=09.

Spokesperson for GDE, Steve Mabona, said the department has also reached partnership agreements with DStv, Vodacom through https://mytopdog.co.za, and Telkom to broadcast various school lessons during the lockdown period – a great feat given the audience coverage of these companies.

The DStv partnership includes:

• Mindset on Channel 318, which will carry all grades except Grades 4 to 9

• Pop-up Channel 317, which will carry Grades 4 to 9. This channel will launch on 1 April

• All these channels will be made available to all subscribers from Access

Given the uncertainty with regards to time which will be lost due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Mabona said the GDE intends to commence engagements with the education sector stakeholders about the possibility of scrapping the June/ winter school recess for the sake of our children’s future.

“Once agreed and adopted, this positive gesture will go a long way in taking our education forward,” he concluded.