Exploring Institutional Coordination of the Return to Schools Provincial Education Responses to Covid-19

The paper examines how the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) managed the closure and reopening of schools during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. It identifies institutional coordination, the development of new capacities, and the critical role of teachers as the three primary factors facilitating the return to schools. The study highlights a contrast between the 'pragmatic managerialism' of the Western Cape and the historical challenges of political factionalism in the Eastern Cape, while noting that both provinces struggled with the digital divide and systemic teacher shortages.

• The reopening of schools in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape was primarily driven by institutional coordination, utilizing both pre-existing and ad hoc interdepartmental and intergovernmental structures to manage resources and communication.
• Both the Eastern Cape and Western Cape PEDs developed new operational capacities during the pandemic; the Western Cape successfully revitalized the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) through provincial funding, while the Eastern Cape delegated more authority to principals for appointing substitute teachers and managing local school closures.
• The Eastern Cape faced significant procurement challenges during the reopening process, including the appointment of unqualified outside companies, non-delivery of materials, and the supply of poor-quality personal protective equipment (PPE).
• In the Eastern Cape, infrastructure deficits severely hindered the reopening of schools, with 583 schools initially unable to open due to a lack of water and ablution facilities.
• The Western Cape's approach was characterized by 'pragmatic managerialism,' which allowed it to be proactive in reopening schools and maintaining the NSNP, though this did not necessarily translate into improved learning outcomes for lower socio-economic segments.
• The digital divide significantly limited the effectiveness of online learning in both provinces, as many learners lacked devices and internet access, and pedagogy had not evolved to support an online modality.
• Systemic teacher shortages and the impact of comorbidities created critical risks for the academic year, leading to the use of subject advisors as substitute teachers in the Western Cape and a reliance on community-sourced assistants in the Eastern Cape.

APA

Chilenga-Butao, T., & Pakade, N. (2020). Exploring Institutional Coordination of the Return to Schools Provincial Education Responses to Covid-19. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PARI-Education-Programme_Reopening-of-Schools-Working-Paper_Final-Decemeber-2020.pdf

Chicago

Chilenga-Butao, Thokozani, and Nomancotsho Pakade. Exploring Institutional Coordination of the Return to Schools Provincial Education Responses to Covid-19. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2020. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PARI-Education-Programme_Reopening-of-Schools-Working-Paper_Final-Decemeber-2020.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chilenga-Butao |first1=Thokozani |last2=Pakade |first2=Nomancotsho |title=Exploring Institutional Coordination of the Return to Schools Provincial Education Responses to Covid-19 |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=December 2020 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PARI-Education-Programme_Reopening-of-Schools-Working-Paper_Final-Decemeber-2020.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chilengabutao2020exploring, author = {Chilenga-Butao, Thokozani and Pakade, Nomancotsho}, title = {{Exploring Institutional Coordination of the Return to Schools Provincial Education Responses to Covid-19}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PARI-Education-Programme_Reopening-of-Schools-Working-Paper_Final-Decemeber-2020.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }