Mental help for pupils who fear return to school

THE Department of Basic Education has arranged several initiatives aimed at providing psycho-social support to thousands of pupils who fear going back to school due to the pandemic.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was responding to EFF MP Reneiloe Mashabela, who asked whether her department had employed the services of psychologists to assist teachers and pupils anxious about returning to school.

Mashabela’s question follows the department’s parliamentary briefing last week, where it estimated a decline in the number of pupils who would complete the academic year.

In the Western Cape, as many as 28 861 pupils fear returning to the classroom.

In Gauteng, 1 468 have similar reservations, in Mpumalanga, the number is 1448, in the North West, it’s 1291 in KwaZulu-Natal, it’s 640, Limpopo has 796 and Free State 61.

Motshekga said her department had partnered with the National Education Collaboration Trust and Unicef to mobilise psychosocial support for pupils.

She said provincial departments had historically employed psychologists and social workers to support pupils and teachers.

“However, there are severe shortages. Due to the expected impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of learners and educators, and the limited psycho-social support capacity within the sector, the Department of Basic Education collaborated with the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development as well as other psycho-social support non-governmental organisations and organisations,” Motshekga said.

“In addition, some provincial departments have increased the number of learner support agents in schools.”

Motshekga was also asked by DA MP Desiree van der Walt about measures her department has implemented to attend to a dire need for nurses, psychologists and therapists at all schools, including those for pupils with special educational needs.

Motshekga said the national draft guidelines developed by the department called for the appointment of health-care professionals at all institutions.