How to cope with loadshedding & homeschooling
Is loadshedding and homeschool driving you bonkers? It helps to plan ahead for when blackouts strike - and we all know they will!
Many South Africans have decided to homeschool their children this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, a major issue parents are facing in their quest to teach their children is loadshedding. The country is facing a big electricity crisis, and loadshedding has once again become the order of the day. Using computers and the internet requires electricity, so how will children be able to continue learning effectively from home with no electricity? According to the most recent reports, Eskom has said that there will be no end to intermittent loadshedding for the foreseeable future as the power entity battles to repair its damaged infrastructure.
How to plan ahead for homeschooling and loadshedding
Here are 6 practical suggestions to help families navigate these crazy times:
Know your loadshedding schedule
Nothing catches you off guard than an unexpected power outage that will most likely find you in the middle of something very important. So, to make sure that you do not lose power in the middle of an important lesson with a virtual teacher, then ensure that you know your load shedding schedule beforehand.
You can check your schedule on Apps like:
- EskomSePush
- Loadshedding app
You can also access the schedule for Eskom by clicking here, or check the City Power schedule by clicking here.
Download content you can use offline
A lot of remote learning platforms allow you to download lessons, notes, and homework. You can access this content offline, meaning you do not need internet access. This will ensure that school can still go on even if electricity is off during school hours.
Purchase an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
A UPS device serves as a WiFi backup during a power outage. When load shedding strikes, you can still have access to the internet from your normal router for up to two devices (this may differ according to which device you use). The backup can range from three to ten hours, depending on the device, or package you choose from a service provider. You can also get a UPS that will just run your internet for the time that loadshedding is off. If you have a laptop with a decent battery this should help ensure you’re still able to continue with lessons.
