COVID 19 pandemic has left schools in total distress. Parents, learners and teachers are left with uncertainty as the pandemic numbers of people contracted continues to rise every day! The 2^nd term (June term) has already been declared null and void and learners are currently back for the 3^rd term instead. Amongst the learners back at school are GR 12s, 11s, 7s, 6s and GR Rs. Many calls to close schools have been made by a number of education commentators together with concerned normal citizens. However, the department of education remains adamant to ‘’salvage’’ the academic year. Thus, this paper seeks to lodge an argument against the basic education department`s stance of ‘’salvaging’’ the school academic year.

As of today (9 Jul 2020), 3600 people have died across the country owing to covid 19 pandemic. The department of basic education (5^th Jul 2020) reported that 2 740 teachers (less than 1 percent of the total number employed in the sector) were infected with the coronavirus since schools reopened in June(https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/11-teachers-3-pupils-have-died-of-covid-19-motshekga-50458989). Since schools opened on the 6^th of June, a number of schools had to shut down again due to the pandemic cases discovered in these schools. Educators have lost their lives in the process of ‘’salvaging’’ the year. Learners have been contracted and their schooling careers are at risk.

There have already been terrible events related to schools in connection with this pandemic where a Grade 7 learner was raped in KZN, Bulwer after the school sent her back home to get her mask (https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/grade-7-pupil-raped-on-way-back-to-school-after-forgetting-mask-at-home-50535574). Basic Education Minister Angie reported (5^th July 2020) that eleven teachers and 3 pupils died nationally since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  (https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/11-teachers-3-pupils-have-died-of-covid-19-motshekga-50458989). A teacher at Montevideo Primary School and former principal died of complications from Covid-19. These are just a few cases, there are many others all over south Africa.

The Simnandi solutions (PTY) LTD as an organization priding itself with inspiring the education community of south Africa is of the view that the academic year be declared null and void. This is because after cases are found in schools, schools are closed for two weeks or more. While schools are closed, time is wasted as learners are at home. And while certain schools are closed other schools are continuing with syllabi completion until they are also hit by a case then they close. The concern is: will schools always close every time cases are discovered? If so, how then will the syllabi be completed while schools are on and off? Will the learners, in particular Gr 12s be comfortably ready to sit for their final examination with this inconsistent opening and closing of schools? Will it be fair to write final exams while other schools had less time to cover the syllabi due to forced closure owing to covid 19 cases discovered?

The above questions remain unanswered and majority of learners and parents are pondering the repercussions of this situation. Learners are at the receiving end of this dilemma as they will suffer the consequences of the decisions made on their behalf by the department of basic education. Amongst the things bothering the learners are; the state of readiness and confidence towards their final exams, university admissions that remain uncertain, contracting the virus before or during final exams etc. These concerns have brought a sense of uncertainty about the future and all potential possibilities look bleak for them. These learners need a saving grace.

Jonathan Jensen released a statement early at the beginning of the national lockdown arguing that the academic year be scrapped. Kenya has just scrapped their academic year and have announced that schools will open in 2021. The Simnandi solutions is of no difference from these calls, the rising of cases in schools and the schools` inconsistency to remain open has prompted the Simnandi Solutions (Pty) Ltd to conclude that the academic year be scrapped in South Africa. This call is made As a plea to the government to intervene and save south African learners from contracting the virus. The Simnandi call is further made with an argument that learners will not be comfortably ready to sit for final examinations as they have been disrupted for over three months and continue to be disrupted with inconsistency of schools closing because of cases discovered.