POST-LOCKDOWN: ADDRESSING SA’S TEACHING AND LEARNING CHALLENGES IN 2023

December 14, 2022

BY DR GILLIAN MOONEY, Dean: Academic Support and Development, The Independent Institute of Education

South Africa is yet to determine the full implications of the pandemic lockdowns on Teaching and Learning, and we can only really speak to the short-term effects at this point. There is currently a wealth of academic literature on this topic, and research will continue.

However, it is already clear that the pandemic lockdowns represented a significant disruption to the way we think about good teaching practice and what students need to do in order to learn. Reflecting at this current point in time, certain themes have been identified, some affecting both lecturers and students, some affecting a single group only, and some affecting the practices of teaching and learning.

THEME 1: SOCIO-EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES

It is well-known that teaching and learning is not only a cognitive issue, but that how we feel about ourselves and others has an important role to play. We also need to remember that the lockdown had emotional and social consequences for everyone. These primarily included a sense of isolation from others - this is well reported in the literature and indeed, likely to be part of what we call “common sense”. In terms of post-lockdown, many continue to feel this sense of isolation, which requires a conscious and concerted effort on the part of schools and universities to address. This may be complicated by the fact that the pandemic itself also made us less trusting of one another. Wearing masks, or essentially, protecting ourselves from other people, may still linger in our psyches.

Across South Africa’s schools and universities, there has been an increase in the number of students who are suffering from challenges related to mental and emotional wellbeing such as depression and anxiety and seeking assessment concessions as a result of this. Some examples of these would be requests for more time to complete assessments or writing assessments in a separate venue.

What may be interesting to research, albeit in the absence of a pre-pandemic baseline, is determining whether parents who were home-schooling their children are now more invested/ involved than before in their child’s education. The point here is that, never before have parents had to know in such detail what their children are doing at school. Has this interest continued post-pandemic? If so, and anecdotally that seems to be the case, that will be a welcome development if it is the case that parents now take a closer interest in their child’s educational journey. However, what we may find is that parents have experienced “school fatigue”, and may be less inclined to engage with the everyday issues of their children’s education. This is all supposition, and substantive research would be required here to gain answers to this question.

THEME 2: NAVIGATING THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY

It has always been a challenge for students to adapt from one learning space to a different one. However, the “COVID-Cohorts”, those students who finished their schooling during the pandemic and moved to university during or shortly thereafter, have found this particularly challenging.

For example, some students had their last two years of schooling either online or being “home-schooled” independently. These experiences would have been different, depending on the resources of the school and the parents. For some university students, they began their university journeys fully online, and unfortunately, in many instances, still continue to do so where institutions still haven’t returned to in-person lectures. In other instances, students may be choosing to study in the distance, rather than contact mode of offering.

This makes for a very non-traditional university experience and detracts from the life milestone that being a student traditionally entails. Most universities have a hybrid model going, i.e. some classes are online, and some are in a classroom. Some institutions, because of their smaller size classes (and the physical distancing constraints) were able to accommodate this kind of hybrid model from the pandemic until now, so there has been very little change for these students. However, not all universities currently have all classes fully in person, while others do, so there may be variance here. As those universities who have not yet returned to in-person prepare to do so in 2023, the effects of the pandemic lockdown may become clearer.

THEME 3: LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING

The pandemic forced a widescale rethinking of how teaching and learning occur. This is an important point because the historically basic transaction of teaching, i.e. a person standing in front of a class facilitating learning, has never really changed. What the lockdowns forced onto us was a re-think of how we assess, how we mark, how we teach, and how we use our learning management systems (LMS). So, it is not all doom and gloom because here a crisis was an important turning point that allowed fast-paced development in teaching and learning practice to occur.

However, as with any crisis, this placed pressure on both lecturers and students, who needed to adapt quickly so as not to fall behind. It also placed a tremendous burden on those institutions that lack agility and resources, and some of this still needs to be overcome even now. An important example of this would be marking online, instead of hard copies. This was a big change for lecturers, who have now adapted to this practice and are not likely to want to go back to pen and paper. We also have more effective ways to track student submissions. There is a steep hill to climb for those institutions that have not yet adapted.

The challenge now is not merely to replicate bad teaching and learning practices with fancy technology, but to understand how technology can enhance teaching and learning. There is now a plethora of competing technological products, which are all trying to gain their market share. Obviously, as with anything, some are better than others, and institutions need to think carefully and do their due diligence before making such big investments.

ENDS

Issued by: MEROPA COMMUNICATIONS

On behalf of: THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

www.theworldofwork.co.za or www.iie.ac.za

Note to editor:

The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) is a division of the JSE-listed ADvTECH Group, Africa’s largest private education provider. The IIE is the largest, most accredited registered private higher education institute in South Africa, and is accredited by The British Accreditation Council (BAC), the independent quality assurance authority that accredits private institutions in the UK.

Add your custom HTML here

< Older Post Newer Post >

SDC Open Day: Showcasing the Best of the Best

By Anoyolo Ndzamela • October 6, 2025

Southdowns College’s second open day of 2025 was an absolute success! Various departments of the school came together to showcase the excellence that the school provides and highlighted the values of integrity, hard work and humility that the school stands for. All the newly elected SEC members provided tours of the campus and explained the environment in which the future pupils will be in - one conducive for growth. It is a difficult task to encapsulate all the school has to offer into a few minutes, but the prefects went above and beyond to ensure that parents were left with a sparkling impression. The teachers invested their hearts and soul into their mini exhibitions, experiments, decorations and (most importantly) explaining what is offered in their respective subjects to the parents. Simultaneously, the Sports and Culture departments put together performances and workshops, to display the wonders and talents of Southdowns College. Not only did the wind blow strongly through the trees – the parents’ socks were blown off! A job well done, College!

What Does it Mean to Wear the Black Blazer?

By Rofhiwa Sipho Tshikhudo • October 6, 2025

At Southdowns College, the rust blazer unites us all. It is the symbol of belonging, of being part of something bigger than ourselves. But for the Black Blazer? It’s not just uniform, but a statement. The Black Blazer is earned – it isn’t handed out for show. It is a commitment to service, leadership and discipline. Wearing it doesn’t elevate us above anyone, it places us under the everlasting pressure of great power and greater responsibility. We don’t wear the blazer for status: we wear it because we chose to serve, and because the school community expects us to deliver. We serve the blazer, it does not serve us. Every morning when we put it on, we are reminded: “We represent more than ourselves. Our peers look to us for guidance; our teachers trust us to carry the values of Southdowns, and our actions reflect on the entire SEC.” That is no small weight... it isn’t supposed to be. The blazer demands respect – not because of its colour, but because of the responsibility stitched into it. It is a promise to lead by example, to stand firm when it’s easier to sit back, to make tough calls, and to act when silence would be easier. It is a challenge to work harder, listen better, and to push ourselves further. The Black Blazer does not make us special. What makes it special is that it holds us accountable every single day. It demands humility, pride, and strength. It reminds us that leadership isn’t about being seen – its about making a difference, even when no one is watching. This is why we wear it with conviction. This is why it matters. The Black Blazer is not about privilege. It is about service. It is about being the best version of ourselves.

The Black Blazer – A New Chapter Begins

By Jayden Paulse • October 6, 2025

There are a few moments you will never forget during your high school career: your first day in grade 8; the first test you failed; your first crush. However, few shine as bright as the moment being inducted into the Student Executive Council (SEC) of 2025/2026. On 3 September 2025, the new prefect body’s blood, sweat and tears were finally acknowledged as they were cheered onto the stage by peers, teachers, parents and their predecessors (the SEC of 2024/2025). The road to acquiring the black blazer is never easy: rounds of voting, hours putting in the extra work to prove yourself, while trying to cheer on your friends and competing against them at the same time, is no easy feat. None of the new SEC members knew their portfolios or the role that they would be playing for the next 12 months before being called upon. The atmosphere was tense with anticipation and bitter-sweet moments: while not all the prefects got the role their hearts desired, every one of them knew what a privilege it was to be walking the stage and exchanging their rust blazer for their black one. Amongst the nerves were moments of pride, tears and joy as the school community watched parents beam at their children’s accomplishments, signing their declaration to the school and taking their seats. The crowd also cooed at the cute childhood photos that were sported proudly next to their current school photo. The adorable kindergarten faces and poses simply won over everyone’s hearts! To our new SEC of 2025/2026: CONGRATULATIONS! We know that the journey has not been easy and is far from being done. We look forward to seeing your vision for Southdowns College come to fruition and seeing what story your lanterns will tell!