Whether you prefer to call it home education or homeschooling, it is a legally recognised alternative to formal education in South Africa. The South African Schools Act requires that parents register their child with the Head of Department of a Provincial Education Department should they wish to educate their child at home.
It’s important to take note of the following important aspects outlined in the new home education policy, which covers the requirements for learners in the compulsory schooling phase (children who are 7 to 15 years of age/up to the end of Grade 9).
Policy requirement
What Impaq offers
Policy Requirement
Parents should apply to the Provincial Education Department (PED) for the registration of a home education learner and comply with any reasonable conditions set by the department.
What Impaq Offers
Impaq encourages parents to register learners with the PED and can assist parents with information on the required steps to follow.
Policy Requirement
Parents need to keep a record of attendance, a suitable timetable, and a portfolio of evidence (containing the activities and assessments) for every learner. Portfolios must be kept for three (3) years as proof of the learner’s progress.
What Impaq Offers
Our offering assists parents in reaching all the required outcomes as outlined by the national curriculum. Impaq provides the school-based assessments, tests and exams needed to build a portfolio of evidence for every learner.
Policy Requirement
Parents must provide the PED with feedback on the learner’s progress and whether they have reached the required outcomes at the end of every phase (Grade 3, 6, and 9). Assessments must be done by competent assessors (qualified educators registered with the South African Council for Educators).
What Impaq Offers
Impaq’s assessments are developed by qualified teachers, as per the national policy requirements. Parents can generate and download progress reports for their children. These progress reports and portfolios of evidence can be submitted to the PED at the end of every phase.
Policy Requirement
Parents can follow any curriculum that meets the minimum outcomes as set out in the national curriculum.
What Impaq Offers
Registration with Impaq ensures that learners follow the national curriculum with formal assessments on the required level throughout all the phases.
Policy Requirement
The parent may include tutorial or other educational support secured in respect of specific areas of the curriculum. The parents, however, remains responsible for the education of their child.
What Impaq Offers
Impaq equips parents with the materials needed to be the primary educator. Supporting tutorial services may be enlisted as needed, subject to the restrictions contained in the policy.
Policy Requirement
Home education only applies to the compulsory schooling phase (from Grade 1 to Grade 9 or age 15). Learners in the FET Phase (Grades 10 to 12) must be registered with an assessment board through an independent service provider.
What Impaq Offers
Assessment bodies do not register independent candidates. FET learners must register with a curriculum provider, who is registered with an assessment body. In Grades 10 to 12, Impaq registers learners with SACAI, which enables learners to write the National Senior Certificate (NSC), issued by Umalusi. Refer to the Critical Enrolment Information as well as the Subject Requirements on particular terms and conditions in the FET Phase.
To learn more about the legal aspects of educating your child at home, please contact us or seek independent legal advice.