FAQ

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FAQ

What is home education according to DBE?

Home Education is a programme alternative to attending public or independent schools where a parent of a learner of compulsory school-going age may provide education for his/her own child/ren at home.

Do you prefer to teach your child at home?  If so, apply to the head of your Provincial Education Department to register your child for Home Education. The lessons we offer on behalf of the parents must fall within the scope of the following compulsory phases of education:

  • Foundation (Gr 1. – 3)
  • Intermediate (Gr.4 – 6)
  • Senior (Gr.7 – 9)

Can I register my child for a single term?

Yes, you can. We acknowledge that some parents are worried about the virus variants.

Is home schooling/education legal in South Africa?

Yes. Home education is a legally recognised alternative to formal education in South Africa. It was legalised in 1996 and Section 51 of the South African Schools Act states that parents have the option to register their child with the Head of Department of a Provincial Education Department should they wish to educate their child at home.

Home education only applies to the compulsory schooling phase (from Grade 1 to Grade 9 or age 15). Learners in the FET Phase (Grade 10 – 12) must be registered with an examination board through an independent service provider.

Will my child be able to integrate back into the mainstream schooling system?

Yes. At Ginini Academy, we follow the CAPS curriculum, which means that our lesson material and educational products adhere to the curriculum directives set out by the Department of Education. Your child can easily be integrated back into a mainstream school if the need arises.

Registering with the DBE enables you as a parent to reintegrate your child back into the normal school system should you want to, without years of non-schooling reflecting on their school records. 

Is Ginini Academy accredited with Department of Education?

Ginini Training Institute T/A Ginini Academy is a registered private company and a curriculum content provider.

Homeschooling is a legally recognized alternative to traditional schooling. For Grades 1 to 9 parents are required to register their children as homeschooled with their Provincial Department of Education. We provide you with a portfolio of evidence to support your child’s progress in the CAPS curriculum.

What is the role of the parent in terms of home-schooling a learner?

The role of the parent is to notify the Provincial Education Department about the decision of opting for home-education (download application forms below).

Department of Education home-education policy of 2018 Chapter 3, 18.4 states that a parent is allowed to procure specific services e.g. tutoring of the curriculum. However, is still a primary responsibility of a parent in respect of providing home-education to the child(ren).

What you should do?

Apply electronically, using the applicable application form, to the head of your Provincial Education Department and attach the following documents with you:

  1. parent/s certified ID copy
  2. In the case of foreign nationals certified copies of passport /study permit/work permit/Asylum document is required
  3. last copy of school report (if the child was in school before, but if the child is only starting school now you must attach an immunization card)
  4. the weekly timetable which includes contact time per day
  5. breakdown of terms per year (196 days per year)
  6. learning programme
  7. certified copy of child’s birth certificate

Ginini Training Institute will provide parents with the required documents 4-6 listed above.

Registration with the Provincial Education Department is free. Provincial registration forms will be uploaded under the parent portal or can be downloaded from the department of education website https://www.education.gov.za/Parents/HomeSchooling/tabid/406/Default.aspx

The registration number of each student that is allocated by the DBE, follows a student right through his or her schooling life.  It then even is transferred to the Homeschooling records.

Do I need to wait for the Department’s approval prior registering?

No, you can enroll your child in the meantime while you are waiting for approval. Click the enroll button to register your child in the meantime as it may take up to 30 days for the provincial department to process your application. When completing our form, notify us if would like us to assist you with the Department’s process at no cost to you.

What records do I have to keep?

After your child has been registered for Home Education you must keep the following:-

  • record of attendance (we provide parents with an electronic daily attendance register to record attendance)
  • portfolio of the child’s work
  • up- to-date records of the child’s progress
  • portfolio of the educational support given to the child
  • evidence of the continuous assessment of the child’s work
  • evidence of the assessment and or examination at the end of each year
  • evidence at the end of grades 3,6 and 9, that shows whether your child has achieved the outcomes for these grades

What is our solution?

We provide CAPS-aligned content to parents who opted for home education alternative learning.

What if I don’t have data all the time access my lessons?

Don’t worry, our solution accommodates learners with data or internet connectivity challenges, so when you complete our online registration form select online or offline studying. Online means you access uploaded content online every time you study and Offline means you download lessons to the desktop or laptop so you can study offline.

Do I need to buy books?

Yes, you will need to purchase CAPS-aligned e-books or hard copies when registering your child(ren).

When can I register my child with the institution?

Registration is open throughout the year.

What about the exams and assessments?

There are no formal assessments for Grade R-3 as they are continuously assessed through out the year. For Grade 4 – 9, the facilitator/parents has been deemed a suitable invigilator. Section 18.5 of the Home-education policy states that children must be assessed by a competent Assessor at the end of Grade 3, 6 & 9. Ginini has internal competent Assessors to perform this task.

How and where will my child take exams?

The exam will be taken at home under a supervision of a qualified teacher/invigilator/parent. A video conference will be scheduled to monitor the process or a formal assessment will be downloadable from the portal for completion. The learner will complete the assessment and then scan it back to us.

Will my child receive a report?

A report will be available to children who have completed a formal assessment. This is highly recommended as external evidence of your child’s CAPS-compliant assessment and academic record for future academic prospects.

Who will mark the exams?

The following will apply in alignment with CAPS requirements:

Grade R – 3: Learners do not write any tests or examinations. The parents will use different assessment forms and tools that are appropriate for regular continuous assessment;

Grade 4 – 9: The exams will be physically marked and moderated by qualified teachers.

What are the promotion requirement?

Standard Department of Basic Education promotion requirements applies.

  • 50%+ (Home Language)
  • 40%+ (First Additional Language)
  • 40%+ (Mathematics)
  • 40%+ (3 other subjects)
  • 30%+ (2 other subjects)

What is the computer specification to access the Portal?

Our Learning Portal is cloud-based so you need Windows 7 or above with internet connectivity to access the site.

How much are the VR glasses?

R380 gets you the VR glasses and educational lessons.

How will I receive my VR glasses after purchase?

The VR glasses will be shipped for R129 to registered learners.