Resource Hub
Resources for learners, parents and teachers
Below is an evolving list of free resources for learners, parents, and teachers that will continually be updated. To suggest resources to be added, please send an email to info@trevornoahfoundation.org
Official Government Websites
These resources are directly referenced from official government websites. The information contained in these resources are from highly reputable sources and we highly recommend you take the time to read through and understand the information on these websites. If you have any questions about the current state of the adjusted lockdown strategy, education, or other related issues, these resources will have the COVID-19 related answers you need.
This is the official online resource and news portal for COVID-19 in South Africa. Please consult the website for the most up to date risk-adjusted lockdown strategy and key points of contact for call centres and hotlines.
The DBE SA has put together useful online resources for parents, caregivers and learners to support learning at home for Grades R to matric. The website includes study material, multimedia and reading material available for download.
Learners in schools that have access to the Gauteng Department of Education Library can borrow books online for reading and studying. It's critical for our learners to continue studying despite the pandemic.
Important coversions on the state of Education in South Africa
REOPENING: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS
The public debate is not assisted by commentators who position the unions as ‘opposed to’ the education department.
That is not our reading of the ongoing conversation: The conversation is about how unions as key stakeholders are collaborating with the education department to ensure that schools are ready in terms of the institutional practices of managing health so that teachers, workers and learners are protected.
Learning in the time of COVID-19: Equitable Support during school closures desperately needed
South African schools have been closed for over a month since Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced their abrupt but necessary closure on 18 March. As long as schools remain closed, we must interrogate government’s plans for learning during the lockdown. Leaked Department of Basic Education documents suggest that the government is considering various options to reopen schools, including a phased approach between 6 May and mid-July.
South African Educational Resources and Literacy Courses
We’ve scoured the internet and worked with our partners to find several of the best free literacy courses for adults, teens, and children. The resources below range from oral teaching and storytelling to large online resources that contain thousands of free books and school syllabi. If you’re aware of any additional education and literacy resources geared toward a South African resources, please email the information to info@trevornoahfoundation.org.
Siyavula’s quality, curriculum-aligned maths and science textbooks span Grades 4-12. All resources are free and open-source, so you can copy, share, or even modify them. The website is also zero-rated for both MTN and Vodacom networks.
Mindset includes resources for Grades 10 to matric. Learners can explore content by subjects, such as Accounting, English First Additional Language, Maths Literacy, and Teacher Development.
The African TeenGeeks has developed the E-Lockdown School in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. MsZora is an artificial intelligence-based educational platform that offers live classes.
Vodacom has a free e-School Portal. It covers the R-12 syllabus across all subjects. Available in multiple languages and fully CAPS aligned, it offers all the workbooks and posters you need.
Africa’s legendary story-teller Gcina Mhlope will keep children educationally entertained for 10 days during the COVID-19 lockdown with a daily five-minute online story.
Every Tuesday at 14:30 SAST, join Play Africa on Facebook Live with professional storytellers sharing stories aimed at ages 4 to 8. Oral storytelling can improve children’s language fluency and help them grasp new concepts that underpin literacy and literature.
Book Dash believes that every child should own one hundred books by the age of five. Therefore, all Book Dash publications are available for free on their website. Search for your favorite children’s book in all of South Africa’s official languages as well as Español and Français.
FunDza is an e-reading platform that caters to teens and young adults, and offers literature in all 9 languages. The platform also encourages aspiring and creative writers to join their LoveWriting platform, allowing young people to further practice and improve their literacy.
South African Career Resources
Youth unemployment is at an all-time high, with the latest study from Stats SA showing a 63.3% unemployment rate amongst 15 to 24-year olds. Yet, many career guidance programs exist to help learners and recent graduates continue their learning journeys, increasing the odds of finding suitable employment. We’ve partnered with top programs to help learners in South Africa connect with the best resources to help them find the best career opportunities.
Gradesmatch technology is designed to map career data to learners, teachers, and mentors, assisting in making well-incomed career decisions to improve long-term education and career outcomes. The website is free for all learners and zero-rated on all major network carriers.
The new Bridge application assistant by Gradesmatch considers your career or qualification interests and gives you suggestions on where you should apply and how you should structure your application. The website is free for learners going to school in quintile 1 to 3.
This free course equips you with the skills required to excel in the careers of today’s digital world. After passing the online exam, a certificate will be issued by Foundation for Professional Development, and will allow you to claim recognition of prior learning in Digital Literacy at any institution of higher learning.
International Education Resources
There are several fantastic international educational resources that can help children, teenagers, and adults continue their learning journeys despite COVID-19. We’ve collected the top three resources available and listed them below.
Ed.ted.com is a library of 1,000+ educational videos called TED-Ed Lessons. Subscribe to their newsletter to receive a daily email of lesson plans that span all subjects and age groups.
For as long as schools are closed, Audible is open. Kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids. All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.
Literacy Cloud by Room to Read offers hundreds of local language books for children all over the world, written and illustrated by local authors. The collection includes numerous South African titles, available in Xitsonga, isiZulu, Siswati, Sepedi and English.