Yes, homeschooling is legal in South Africa and was incorporated into the South African Schools Act in 1996. However, should you approach your local school or education department for guidance you are most likely to receive a very vague response, as in most instances, local officials do not truly understand the laws relating to home education, and may therefore ask for far more information than the law requires, or give you false information regarding requirements to homeschool your children and most certainly try and fleece you of your hard-earned cash.

The Association for Home Schooling was established in 1992, when homeschooling was still actively repressed by the previous government. It was incorporated into the SA Schools Act of 1996 only after a heavy battle, also in parliament, and after the Home School Legal Defense Association of the USA exercised political pressure to have homeschooling recognized in South Africa.

Historically, therefore, legal recognition of home education came against the will of a reluctant government. As a result, education departments and officials persist in placing a wide variety of unlawful stumbling blocks in the path of homeschooling families.

http://www.pestalozzi.org/en/legal-issues

There is no specific law that stipulates that parents must register their children with the Department of Education. “According to legal advice obtained by the Pestalozzi Trust (the South African homeschool legal defense association), various aspects of the new education system are in conflict with the law and the constitution. The Trust, therefore, supports all lawful actions to avoid or prevent the imposition of the system. In accordance with legal advice, the Trust can no longer recommend the registration of members of the Trust with education authorities as provided for by legislation.

http://www.pestalozzi.org/en/legal-issues

Although parents have the right to educate their children at home, more than 90% of homeschooling families are not registered with the provincial Department of Education, because homeschoolers are expected to meet requirements prescribed by officials that do not understand home education or the law on home education.

Many parents commit to schooling their children at home. Their motivation is the conviction that this is the best for the moral and spiritual development of their family, and it is the best way to provide a solid education for their children. They know what their children are being taught in the areas of spiritual and character development, as well as about the social and academic well-being of their children.

Specific Advantages have been expressed as follows:

• Homeschooling makes quality time available to train and influence children in all areas of life.
• Each child receives individual attention and has his unique needs met. Parents can control destructive influences such as negative peer pressure and offensive curriculum.
• Opportunity is available for spiritual training and presenting a biblical perspective of all
• academic subjects.
• Children gain respect for their parents as teachers
• The family experiences unity, closeness, and mutual enjoyment of each other.
• Children develop confidence and independent thinking, away from negative peer pressure
• to conform, in the security of their own home.
• Children have time to think and explore new interests.
• Communication between different age groups is enhanced.
• Flexible scheduling can accommodate parents’ work and vacation times and allow time for many activities.

There are ample learning materials available for homeschooling in South Africa from a number of reputable curriculum suppliers. Some of them have been developed locally, some imported from abroad. A number are on a computer, some are partially computerised, while others make use of textbooks. The materials available are usually easy to use, for parents too. Many homeschoolers also make use of distance education facilities, which a parent with a child in home education can use almost independently.

You know your children better than anyone and have the deepest love and concern for them. You also have the most direct and long-term responsibility for your children. Your example and enthusiasm in learning with your children will motivate and encourage them far more than striving to appear you know it all. You do not need to know everything in order to teach. Tutoring children has always been superior to the typical classroom. Homeschooling epitomizes this method, providing the essentials for success and a close relationship between the student and the teacher, motivation, flexibility, and individualization.

Most schooling curriculums place a strong emphasis on children accessing information themselves, and computer-based learning is a daily feature of school life, where affordable. This should also, to a large degree, be the case in the homeschooling environment because, after all, computers have become an integral part of life so why not get an early start.

Most parents organize their homeschooling in such a way that they provide for their children’s specific needs and abilities. One does not have to do all the subjects at the same level. If a child has an aptitude for Maths, there is nothing to stop him or her from continuing with the next grade’s work once this grade’s work has been finished. Or vice versa: if the child/children have not mastered this year’s Afrikaans, they simply return to the previous year’s books and together with their parents start looking for the cause of the problems.

Assessment works as follows:

Grade R – 12

Self

The Self-assessment method comes in the form of the June / July and November / December test and is pre-packaged in the educational pack. Parents are provided with the answer keys required to complete the assessment at no additional cost. All exams, except grade 12, are written at the student’s home or alternative location, in the presence of an independent invigilator/teacher.

Movement to the next Grade

It is the parent’s decision to move the learned to the next grade. This decision can be made with the help of one of our professional consultants.

External

External assessment is arranged with your dedicated educational consultant. This comes in the form of 2 annual examinations written under parental/invigilator supervision. (Recommended for grades 8 to 11).

The cost of each assessment is currently as follows:

Grade 1 – 3 R 650 (Optional)
Grade 4 – 7 R 1000 (Optional)
Grade 8 – 9 R 2500 (Recommended)
Grade 10 – R 2500 (Compulsory)

Grade 12

The final grade 12 examination is written at registered exam centres around South Africa. Parents / Tutors may compile their own progress reports, using tools supplied by most curriculum suppliers.

All exams, except grade 12, are written at the student’s home or alternative location, in the presence of an independent invigilator/teacher. The final grade 12 examination is written at a registered exam centre around South Africa.

Most homeschooling materials are designed to be used by parents and students who are not familiar with the subject matter. They are therefore self-explanatory. In most cases, a teacher’s guide is provided for the subject.

It has been found that primary school-age children in home schooling on average take more or less 2 to 3 hours per day to complete all their work (homework included) and secondary school-age children on average more or less 3 to 4 hours per day. As a result, children have more time to play, read, dream, socialize, get involved in hobbies, help in the house and in the garden, and make music. In short: they have time to live a normal life.

Homeschooling requires a time commitment, although not as much as you might expect. One-to-one tutoring is more efficient than classroom instruction and, therefore, requires less time. The time required varies according to the student’s abilities, the number of children in the family, and the ages of the children. With the syllabis school@home curriculum there is a study plan. As a parent, you are there to supervise and make sure the student completes his work for the day.

The syllabis school@home curriculum makes it easy to teach more than one child at a time. Because you are basically their supervisor, you can oversee a number of children at one time.

This is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of homeschooling. It is the positive aspects of socialisation through the home that attracts many families to this lifestyle. Popular opinion assumes that children need periods of interaction with a group of peers to acquire social skills. By contrast, however, many believe that extensive peer contact during childhood can cause undesirable and negative peer dependency.

Young children are more likely to be influenced by the majority than to be independent and an example to others. Children who receive their education outside the home are prone to accept their peers; and teachers’ values over those of their parents. Some advantages of freedom from peer pressure can be self-confidence, independent thinking, the ability to relate to people of all ages, and better family relationships. Moral principles of interaction can be taught, demonstrated, and reinforced at home by parents. Children can learn needed social skills by interacting with siblings or other children and adults under their parent’s supervision. Young people who have had this type of training have adjusted very well to adult life. You can help your children build and maintain lasting friendships with people of all ages through church and family friends.

Do you want our child to model after you or after his peers, after his teachers at school or his teachers at home? What kind of socialization do you want for your child, positive or negative?

Home School Curriculums

What is a Curriculum?

Technically, a curriculum is a list of topics, concepts, ideas, etc. that will be taught. A homeschool curriculum usually also includes the texts, workbooks, and other materials used to teach that subject, and “directions for parents.” There are many great curriculums (or programs) designed just for homeschoolers. Most people start homeschooling with packaged curriculums, and then find their way from there, for what works best for their child. For some children, this involves more formal studies. For others, it is more informal hands-on play or exploring learning. For many, it is a mixture of methods.

Formal Curriculums

Some subjects, like math, work better with a formal curriculum. This is probably because most math, particularly in the upper grades, must be done on paper.

Use “Home School” Curriculums

If you are going to use formal curriculums, it is best to get “home school” curriculums rather than using programs designed for schools. A good home school curriculum will explain to you “as a parent,” what and how to teach that day’s material, and should have more hands-on exercises that are better suited to a home environment.

Homeschoolers can usually relate better than average both horizontally and vertically, take leadership positions often are positive role models, have the tendency to build quality friendships and their self-image is not dependent on group pressure.

Syllabis School@Home South Africa is a complete school curriculum that is delivered both online and via traditional learning materials. The curriculum is compiled by registered South African teachers. We sell curriculum solutions to South African parents (Students) seeking to adopt homeschooling, either for their children or for themselves.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum consists of the following:

1. A Weekly Study Plan that tells you exactly what to study and when. This is flexible and can be changed to suit the learner. It comes with an easy-to-use checklist to ensure all areas are covered.
2. Text Books published by South African Publishers. (As well as various other open e-books)
3. E-learning Solutions internally developed
4. Tutoring Solutions (Optional)

Study Plan

Study Material

All the study material is provided via the web and via textbooks. The study material can be provided for grades R to 10, in English. Grade 10 to 12 are in the development stage for release at a later date.

Assessment (Self / External)

All supplied curricula meet the standard as set by the S A Department of Education. (SAPS).

System

Each grade consists of online content accessed via our Websites, textbooks, and a detailed study plan which ties all the learning together into a concise and professional distance learning solution.

With our cutting-edge solution, your first day of learning is in your home with your parent/guardian/Tutor. Our curriculum has been developed by leading South African educators. syllabis school@home is a true home school solution and offers every learner endless possibilities to achieve their best. Join us on the journey to successful, lifelong learning.

Features

• syllabis school@home is the ideal home school solution with a complete curriculum and assessment developed for South Africa.
• Learning material is provided via a guided study plan, textbooks and a web-based portal, ensuring curriculum content is always up to date.
• Additional value-added curriculum support and assessment services are available. This is either Virtual support or One on One tuition.
• 100% Aligned to the SA Curriculum requirements.
• Day to day lesson and progress plan. This is facilitated via the online portal.
• Online tracking system to track student performance.
• Loaded with Current Events studies that link learning back to actual world events.

The core curriculum consists of a fully integrated, blended, day-to-day, scheduled curriculum that allows the learner to study at their own pace, and to allow them to be fully aware of the requirements which are set out in our learning system. This leads to maturity in learning. The lessons and resources enable the teacher/parent or tutor to guide the student through the required materials in a systematic, professional manner and efficient manner. This results in the building of solid foundations on which future studies will be based. Learning materials are delivered via a range of both computer-based as well as traditional textbook materials.

Self

The Self-assessment method comes in the form of the June / July and November / December test and is pre-packaged in the educational pack. Parents are provided with the answer keys required to complete the assessment.

External

External assessment is arranged with your dedicated educational consultant. This comes in the form of 2 annual examinations written under parental supervision.

Report

A formal Report is issued only when the learner is registered for External Formal Assessment. Speak to the customer services representative today.

Assessment and Grading Codes

• Excellent 80% – 100%
• Well Done 70% – 79%
• Exceeding Expectations 60% – 69%
• Satisfactory 50% – 59%
• Moderate 40% – 49%
• Requires Development 30% – 39%
• Requires Significant Development 0% – 29%