ASSESSING THE ROLE OF THE COVID-19 CATCH-UP RECOVERY PROGRAMME ON LEARNER PERFORMANCE IN EFAL

This study investigates the influence of the COVID-19 Curriculum Recovery Plan (CRP) on the academic performance of English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The CRP was introduced to mitigate the severe learning disruptions caused by school closures during the pandemic. Adopting a qualitative phenomenological design informed by social constructivism, the study explored the lived experiences of educators and learners across four secondary schools in the Nzhelele Central Circuit. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with three categories of participants, providing first-hand insights into the implementation process of the CRP. Findings reveal that while the CRP generated some positive outcomes, such as enhanced learner engagement, targeted curricular adjustments, professional development for teachers, and improved Grade 12 achievement, it was undermined by systemic challenges. Chief among these were limited digital access, inadequate teacher capacity for online pedagogy, and fragile institutional support mechanisms. These barriers disproportionately disadvantaged rural schools, intensifying pre-existing educational inequalities. Despite these constraints, the CRP demonstrated that strategic curricular adaptations combined with professional capacity-building can help learners recover lost academic ground in under-resourced contexts. The study underscores the need for education systems to design responsive programmes safeguarding equity during crises. It recommends urgent investment in digital infrastructure for rural schools, sustained professional development for educators, and curriculum adjustments sensitive to linguistic diversity in EFAL classrooms. Building inclusive institutional frameworks that integrate resilience planning is essential for mitigating learning loss during future emergencies and ensuring that all learners enjoy equitable opportunities to succeed.