While the pandemic rages, life goes on – or does it? The virus has impacted schoolgoers worldwide, and it’s safe to say that education during the pandemic, especially in the first year, took a severe knock. Now, online schooling is changing all of that, and the best online schools are showing South African parents and learners just how superior the best online homeschool programs are.

Advantages and disadvantages of online classes

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages of online learning to consider. If you’ve been considering transitioning your child to one of the online homeschool programs available to South Africans, you may want to know what those advantages and disadvantages are. Here’s a brief overview to consider before we take a look at some of the best online homeschool programs for you to consider.

Advantages:

• Students get more one-on-one attention – no one gets “lost in the crowd” of the classroom
• No bullying and peer pressure to worry about
• Students learn more and often quicker
• More advanced courses are available (better than standard government curriculums)

Disadvantages:

• Possible lack of social connection with peers
• Can be an expensive education route
• Careful discipline is required to get through the work
• Some of the best online homeschool programs can be expensive

Education during the pandemic

The statistics and data don’t lie, and that’s why the information provided by Unicef in 2021 is particularly interesting when it comes to education during the pandemic. According to the data, in 2021, learners were around 75% to an entire school year behind. Students lost a whopping 54% of study time as the pandemic raged. More astounding is that approximately 500,000 students have dropped out of school within 16 months from the start of the pandemic. It is estimated that around 750,000 school children no longer attended school in 2021. These statistics alone tell us everything we need to know about the need for parents to take charge and consider some of the online schooling options available to their children for the sake of their educations and futures.

Five of the best online schools for South African children

Many South Africans are entirely unaware that online schooling is an option in South Africa for both primary and high school learners. We’re here to tell you that you can provide your child with access to the best online homeschool programs right here in SA. Whether you’re looking for the best online high schools or primary schools, here are a few suggestions:

• CambriLearn

This homeschooling program is suited for students of all ages and offers SA students the International British and CAPS (SA curriculum) curriculum. Students are provided with online lessons (either live or recorded), making it easy for students to revisit content if they need a refresher. What’s great about CambriLearn is that parents can track their kid’s learning progress. Cambria is also accredited with the biggest accreditation system in the world, Cognia.

• Virtual Schools.co.za

This online platform has been operating in South Africa since 2013 and provides standards-based online schooling for grades R to 12. The learning systems are described as “blended learning” and fully comply with CAPS, the SA curriculum standard.

• Futures Academy

As far as independent online high schools are concerned, Futures Academy is in the lead. The online homeschooling program offers flexible learning programs for grades 7 to 12. Futures Academy is registered with the Western Cape Education Department. While there are live seminars and online content available for students, the academy also offers teachers that provide live seminars to ensure each student understands the content and gets the assistance they might need along the way.

• Teneo School

Teneo School is a digital online school that offers a structured CAPS curriculum and timetabled classes. This school focuses on ensuring that lessons are fun and interactive for students. Lessons are delivered live via Zoom, and there’s also peer-to-peer discourse on offer. Students can absorb the course content, complete assignments, and master the SBA tasks with structured learning. The school offers homeschooling for grades R to 12.

• Brainline

Brainline is a popular online schooling choice for superior education during the pandemic. Brainline offers courses from grade R to grade 12 and has been in the business for over thirty years. What makes Brainline stand out is that it is registered with the IEB, assuring of the best possible quality when working towards a National Senior Certificate. The online school is known for enhancing critical thinking and spurring on problem-solving abilities.

Learn everything you need to know about emigration at FinGlobal

Thanks to the pandemic, it’s not just schoolgoers who have to learn in a new way. COVID-19 has also caused many families’ emigration plans to come to a grinding halt. Now, more than ever, it’s essential to understand all the intricacies of emigration, taking into account new regulations and safety protocols in different countries. At FinGlobal, we aim to simplify the emigration process for each client.

With ten years of experience in the business, we are confident we are the ideal team to assist SA expats with their tax, pensions, retirement annuities, and forex. We make it our business to understand the latest regulations pertaining to emigration and simplify the entire process for you. To discuss your unique needs with our team, simply get in touch with us. Give us a call on +27 28 312 2764 or send us an email at info@finglobal.com, and we will assist you promptly.