A learner walks through a field of sugarcane to get to school in Ismont, KwaZulu-Natal, 24 July 2020.
Before the pandemic, around 40% of learners who started Grade 1 dropped out before completing matric. So, for many learners, disruptions to schooling are nothing new. But in 2020, things got worse. The type of disruptions that usually lead to disengagement and dropout were amplified by the pandemic. And when schools reopened, about 15% of learners could not be accounted in the system. Moving forward, we must build resilient systems of support around learners – in homes, schools, and communities.