There were times last year when the academic calendar hung in the balance. In the early days of the first lockdown, the Department of Basic Education toyed with the idea of cancelling the year. What ultimately helped make up lost time were interventions such as teaching through broadcast media, rolling out tablets and using online tools to ‘bring curriculum lessons home in order to limit Covid’s impact’, Minister Angie Motshekga said in April.

Unfortunately, even with measures such as using tablets and learning online, the cost of data remained an issue for some learners, bringing the matter of zerorating educational apps to the fore.