Children at school in Alexandra, Johannesburg can't go to school because of COVID-19. However, unlike many other children around the world, they also can't learn at home due to a lack of access to any form of online learning and prohibitively high data costs. Therefore Rays of Hope is supporting these children by printing and delivering educational support material to their homes.
Education levels of children at school in Alexandra was already very low prior to COVID-19. Now with lock-down education is non-existent in Alex as children are not able to access any form of learning. Data costs are very high so even online learning is not an option, so the children are "enjoying" a very low holiday, which is not good. These children need to be given printed material to work through, books to read and support for the many days of school that have been missed.
Pre-COVID-19, Rays of Hope ran RoseAct Saturday School which supported over 300 children in Alex with English and Maths classes. We know what is needed and how to help the children to keep learning despite the lock-down. We're looking for funding to print, deliver and manage a substitute educational support programme. We need to engage the parents and guardians to help their children, encourage the children where they struggle and ensure that the children take ownership of their education.
By providing printed learning material, children will be able to use this time to close some of the gaps in their education. This will ensure that although significant classroom time has been missed, at least some education will still have taken place. Although we will provide materials to the 300 children that attended Saturday School, other children living close by will hopefully also be able to benefit thereby increasing the impact.
