UCT ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND VALENTURE INSTITUTE TAKE THE LEAD IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LEARNING Online schooling is a promising tonic that has the potential to reshape the country’s education system and address critical challenges. In the face of mounting concerns over a shortage of teachers in SA, the growth of online education offers a promising remedy. Virtual schooling is poised to extend its reach faster and more cost-effectively than traditional brick-and-mortar schools can build classrooms.
Cost efficiency is also a critical factor, as Lukhele acknowledges. Education expenses can weigh heavily on families, and online schooling offers a means to mitigate this burden. However, the potential of online education is not just financial; it’s also about reshaping the educational landscape to address the looming challenges. Lukhele emphasises that online education is not a replacement for brick and mortar; rather, it’s a lifeline for an education system in dire need of support. “Our primary focus is to enhance the accessibility of quality education for a larger segment of SA’s young generation,” Lukhele explains.
SA grapples with overcrowded classrooms and a growing shortage of teachers - with nearly half of the current teacher workforce projected to retire by 2030, as revealed by Stellenbosch University’s research unit on socioeconomic policy. This impending exodus threatens to create an educational void. However, a ray of hope emerges in the form of online classes.
This vision prompted the inception of UCT Online High School in July 2021, designed to boost access to quality education. “Another concern is physical space. Given the high demand for school placements and the complexities of migrant families shifting between provinces, online education presents a unique advantage - learning from anywhere,” Lukhele elaborates.
According to Banele Lukhele, the Executive Head of the recently established UCT Online High School, online education is a key solution to the scarcity of teachers and the lack of educational infrastructure.
But does online schooling have staying power? Intriguingly, despite recent trends suggesting a return to traditional schooling after COVID-19 disruptions, a growing interest in online education persists. “As the reputation of online schooling
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