Cape Town-based educational psychologist, Anel Annandale, says parents should make time to help their children to develop new skills during the extended school holidays.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that schools would close earlier than scheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Schooling will be extended with an extra week in the second term to catch-up on time lost due to the virus.
Some schools have provided e-learning while others have sent workbooks home to minimise disruptions to learning.
Annandale says while academics remain important during this time, children should be allowed time away from their books to try their hand at new skills.
“I do think specifically at this time, it would perhaps be important not to just emphasise too much on the academics actually and rather perhaps encourage your child to learn a new skill. You know it’s so easy nowadays to download an app and learn a new language, perhaps watch YouTube videos on how to improve your photography skills – so focus on skills that they can learn things that perhaps stand them in good stead in future as well,” says Annandale.
In this video, a remote learning expert says there are online education groups available
