Today our guest is Equal Education Researcher Stacey Jacobs.

• Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has released the matric results for the class of 2021.
• This group of matric learners has undoubtedly faced huge hurdles leading up to the final assessment of their schooling journey.
• When COVID-19 hit South Africa in March 2020, an urgent response was needed by the Department of Basic Education to protect learners, teachers and the broader school community, leading to schools being closed for extended periods and the introduction of a rotational timetabling system.
• Now education rights group Equal Education is calling lon government to urgently abandon rotational timetables and safely reopen schools for all learners.
• The group says the class of 2021, compared to their 2020 peers, has been more negatively affected by the pandemic.