President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the 15th of March 2020, shortly after South Africa recorded its first Coronavirus case, announcing amongst other measures, the imminent closure of schools across the spectrum.
In his address, President Ramaphosa called on citizens to play their part, highlighting the importance of taking “precautionary, proactive measures” that will aid in minimising the spread of COVID-19.
The impact of Covid-19 is greater than we could ever have anticipated, but is manageable too.
According to an article published on Parent24.com, “people of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus, but it seems that children are not succumbing to the virus in the same way older people are”. Still, we advise that special care be given to children who display cold/flu symptoms.
As parents, we encourage you to adopt a balanced approach with your kids during these uncertain times.
The primary responsibility would be to educate them on the virus, how infections happen and the importance of not discriminating against those infected or affected.
The official www.sacoronavirus.co.za website has encouraged the following precautionary measures that can be passed onto children – and even be made fun!
• Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds (many parents are using the traditional ‘Happy Birthday’ song as a countdown clock).
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
We understand that as parents, you are under immense pressure to adapt the day-to-day routine for your kids, with the least interruptions from their norm as possible. You can play your part by keep them active in learning!
This is a crucial time for all learners, and as such, subjects learning material has been made available for Grade 1-12 to help make up for lost time. Click here to access the material. Lessons have also been broadcasted from the 30th March 2020.
To further assist with reading material, Audible, a sister company of Amazon has made a selection of a few hundred audiobooks, freely available. The stories are aimed at young people, ages 0-18 years and are available in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian. Click here to access the portal.
We wish you well in raising well-informed, eager and inspired young people who can conquer the world once we’ve conquered this disease as a nation!
Article by Brand South Africa and Partners for Possibility
About Brand South Africa
Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country’s brand reputation, to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship.
About Partners for Possibility
The Partners for Possibility(PfP) Leadership development programme was established in 20-+10 by Symphonia for South Africa with a mandate to empower school principals to inspire positive change in their schools and communities and thus facilitate cross-sectoral reciprocal partnerships between Business, Government and the Civil Society.
Additional sources: Parent24.com; sacoronavirus.co.za
