All You Need To Know About Homeschooling South Africa 

If you are considering homeschooling your child, then you likely know what a tough decision it is or can be. The law in South Africa states that every child has to have an education, whether it is through a private school, state school or being taught at home. More and more parents are choosing to educate their children at home, but why is this?

Why are Parents opting to Homeschool their Children?

Research is starting to show that children who are homeschooled tend to perform better than those who go to a public or private school. Homeschooling is great because it gives your child the chance to learn in their optimal learning environment and at their own pace. Homeschooled children get much more attention, and one-on-one help when compared to students in a class. The unfortunate reality is that even the most caring of teachers are not able to give their attention to a classroom full of children at once. If your child has not yet completed their GED, then homeschooling could be the best way to give them the support they need.

Registering with the Department of Education

The Schools Act in South Africa requires every parent to register their child if they are being taught at home, which is done through the provincial department. That being said, some departments do not have the capabilities to register a child for home education. Most also do not have a proper and thorough understanding of how children can be homeschooled and the laws regarding it. This means that parents have to meet many requirements, most of which are not stipulated by law. For this reason alone, 95% of people who homeschool their children do not register with the appropriate department.

Taking your Child out of School

You are within your right to choose the best course of education for your child. You do not need to try and justify your decision to the school your child is attending right now either. You just need to inform them. You also don’t need to wait until the end of term either.

What if you Change your Mind?

Many parents are rightfully concerned that they cannot send their child, who has been homeschooled, back to a state school if their home circumstances change. The main thing that you have to remember here is that a public school cannot discriminate against children who have been taught at home. They also cannot give your child a test to find out what grade they need to be in. For public schools, the admission policy actually states this, so don’t be afraid to bring it up as a reference if you run into difficulties.

What about the GED?

If your child is under the age of 17, then there are steps that you can take to try and prepare them for the GED. Many South African parents who take their child out of school do so around the age of 12. Their children then reach the age of 15 and they wonder what they need to do to prepare them for the test, which can only be taken when they reach the age of 17. If you have started homeschooling recently, then you ideally need to spend a few months essentially giving your child the chance to detox from the school system. Many parents find it hard to let structure go because they worry that their child will fall behind if there are not deadlines. The main thing that you have to remember is that there are no deadlines. You have to give your child the chance to heal emotionally as this will give them the best chance of progressing with formal learning. Remember you are no longer part of the system, and it’s more than possible for you to give your child a good education, picking up a GED along the way.

Taking the GED

One of the many advantages that comes with a GED is that you do not have any kind of formal curriculum. You have the freedom to let them explore whatever it is they are interested in. The GED has a total of four subjects, so you do need to make sure that they have the skills they need to do these. The subjects are:

• Mathematical Reasoning
• Social Studies
• Reasoning Through Language Arts
• Science

Online GED Preparation in South Africa

Just because a child can take the tests required for the GED, doesn’t mean that they have to. You need to make sure that they are ready and that you have a plan so that they know what comes after. When your child reaches the age of 15 or older, you can then enroll them in some online classes. This will give you a good idea of where they are in their learning, what they have the capability to achieve, and it will give you the chance to book the test whenever you are ready. Online study takes the stress and insecurity out of what lies ahead, and it also helps you to document their progress.

Benefits of Studying Online

Some of the benefits that come with studying online are as follows:

• Study at a time that is suited to your child
• Online resources to guide your child through each topic
• Revision notes and easy to refer back to the material
• Flexible packages
• Suited to everyone who wants to homeschool

Online study gives you the flexibility you need to help your child learn in their own time, but it also helps them to feel much more in control of their study. You can also use resources online, so you do not have to worry about learning the resources yourself, and you do not need to worry about your own qualifications either. As a parent, this will give you the peace of mind you need to ease into the process while ensuring that your child gets their GED. Why not explore the idea of getting a GED online today, so that you can make the most out of your homeschooling journey? It’s never been easier for you to secure the best future for your child.