Papers & Presentations

Since its adoption by SADC Ministers of Education in 2008, the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Framework has been instituted within the South African Department of Basic Education as a guide for mainstreaming care and support. An evaluation of CSTL was planned for 2019/2020, but with the advent of the coronavirus in early 2020, this was not possible. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and related government lockdowns have resulted in numerous consequences for the education sector and the children it serves. It was thus determined necessary to conduct a rapid evaluation of CSTL implementation in schools, to determine how schools have coped during the COVID-19 period. The findings of the rapid evaluation were presented at the November 2021 CSTL conference, as a contribution to discussions around strengthening the system for effective delivery of school-based care and support services and preparing the system and schools for future disruptions or emergencies.

The SADC Secretariat, UNESCO, UNICEF, MIET AFRICA and key partners held a successful webinar on 3 September which provided a platform for exchange between education leaders and stakeholders on good practices and challenges related to the re-opening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The webinar highlighted the close relationship between health and education and the negative impact COVID-19 has had in this regard. Lockdowns highlighted pre-existing challenges facing schools, for example infrastructure and governance, and other roles that schools play aside from education, for example in nutrition. A key takeaway message is that at the systemic level, it is necessary to build resilient and robust systems, and it was acknowledged that the following elements were critical: infrastructure, capacity building, (e.g. equip teachers with ICT skills), financing, psycho-social well-being of educators, and the building of partnerships.

Click here to read the report and see below to download presentations.