Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education

Interest in home-schooling is increasing especially in the era of COVID-19. This pandemic has raised concern among many parents about the future education of their children. Home-schooling is increasingly seen as a safer and more viable option. This paper aims to gauge the potential of home-schooli...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2021-03-01
Series:Perspectives in Education
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/4594
_version_ 1797265665361444864
collection DOAJ
description Interest in home-schooling is increasing especially in the era of COVID-19. This pandemic has raised concern among many parents about the future education of their children. Home-schooling is increasingly seen as a safer and more viable option. This paper aims to gauge the potential of home-schooling based on the experiences and perspectives of parents who are home educators. This study delves into aspects such as the advantages and disadvantages of contemporary home-schooling experiences. Using a qualitative approach, this research draws on 10 semi-structured interviews with parents who are currently home-schooling their children in order to understand their lived experiences. The study finds that most parents opted for home-schooling to ensure that their children had access to an affordable, high-quality form of education. Furthermore, parents wanted to ensure that each child was provided with an individualised experience, which is particularly beneficial for those with special needs. However, some parents struggled to find the balance between their role as a parent and a teacher. Additionally, the lack of support from the government was outlined as a prominent challenge. The study recommends a more nuanced and integrated approach from policymakers and the government to ensure a safe and efficient home-schooling environment.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T04:41:48Z
format Article
id doaj.art-58b500640cbf427898db6fafc2c44082
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0258-2236
2519-593X
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-25T00:48:24Z
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher University of the Free State
record_format Article
series Perspectives in Education
spelling doaj.art-58b500640cbf427898db6fafc2c440822024-03-11T23:06:01ZengUniversity of the Free StatePerspectives in Education0258-22362519-593X2021-03-01391Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education Interest in home-schooling is increasing especially in the era of COVID-19. This pandemic has raised concern among many parents about the future education of their children. Home-schooling is increasingly seen as a safer and more viable option. This paper aims to gauge the potential of home-schooling based on the experiences and perspectives of parents who are home educators. This study delves into aspects such as the advantages and disadvantages of contemporary home-schooling experiences. Using a qualitative approach, this research draws on 10 semi-structured interviews with parents who are currently home-schooling their children in order to understand their lived experiences. The study finds that most parents opted for home-schooling to ensure that their children had access to an affordable, high-quality form of education. Furthermore, parents wanted to ensure that each child was provided with an individualised experience, which is particularly beneficial for those with special needs. However, some parents struggled to find the balance between their role as a parent and a teacher. Additionally, the lack of support from the government was outlined as a prominent challenge. The study recommends a more nuanced and integrated approach from policymakers and the government to ensure a safe and efficient home-schooling environment. http://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/4594Home-schoolingLearnersParentsHome-based educationSouth Africa
spellingShingle Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
Perspectives in Education
Home-schooling
Learners
Parents
Home-based education
South Africa
title Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
title_full Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
title_fullStr Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
title_full_unstemmed Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
title_short Home-schooling in South Africa: Adapting to the new normal of providing education
title_sort home schooling in south africa adapting to the new normal of providing education
topic Home-schooling
Learners
Parents
Home-based education
South Africa
url http://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/4594