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The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) has noted the decision by Cabinet on 31 January 2022 to review the resumption of schooling to full-time learning in all schools. The Commission welcomes this decision and is encouraged by the government’s prioritisation of teaching and learning. 

The Commission had long held that rotational learning was harmful for learners, affecting their cognitive abilities severely, disrupting the National School Nutrition Programme and taking a toll on their psycho-social wellbeing. This was consistent with the July 2021 advice of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. Further, the Commission had raised concerns about the limitation on the constitutional right to a basic education, as a result of rotational timetabling.

Having appreciated the challenges rotational learning posed to learners and the high dropout rates, the Commission convened a meeting with the Department of Health and the Minister of Basic Education on 14 December 2021, to raise its concerns and stress the negative effects of rotational learning. A subsequent meeting on 26 January 2022 was held with the Deputy Minister and the Director General of the Department of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and Dr Sandile Buthelezi, respectively, to further impress upon the Department of Health the need to review the 1 (one) meter distancing at schools and to terminate rotational learning. 

The Commission remains concerned that approximately 15 months of teaching and learning have been lost as a result of rotation timetabling. To this effect, the Commission calls on the Department of Basic Education to devise and implement a credible and funded catch-up plan that will support teachers and learners, including providing learners with study materials for inside and outside the classrooms.

Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission