By ARETHA LINDEN and ZIPO-ZENKOSI NCOKAZI
The department of education still has a few loose screws to tighten to ensure the 2018 academic year gets off to a smooth start.
This became evident at a three-hour meeting held at the Rubusana education district office in Mdantsane yesterday.
The meeting forms part of the annual school visits by Bhisho MPLs who form an education portfolio committee and are dispatched to schools across the province to receive first-hand information on the challenges encountered and validate the information received from officials from the education department.
The MPLs included Vumile Lwana from the ANC and the DA’s Nosimo Balindlela.
Outlining the state of readiness of schools in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) district, the manager of the BCM district Edgar Klaasen, told Bhisho MPLs and other stakeholders that prefab classrooms still had to be delivered, 61 schools were still waiting for workbooks and there was a challenge with late admissions.
Klaasen also zoomed in on the 2017 academic performance of schools in the district.
“Prefab classrooms will be delivered in the first term of school. Grade 10 literature workbooks have not been delivered to 61 schools that failed to place their order on time.
“Our main challenges currently are the issue of late admissions,” said Klaasen.
The department last week indicated that there were 4000 unplaced pupils, with East London, Port Elizabeth, Komani and Mthatha flagged as the worst areas when it comes to late admission of pupils.
The department spokesman, Malibongwe Mtima, said the problem was that parents wanted their children placed at specific schools, and were reluctant to take up the option of a second-choice school.
“Yes, there are enough schools. While some schools are filled to capacity there are schools that are under-enrolled,” said Mtima.
While the meeting was in process, scores of parents of unplaced pupils were queuing at the front desk of the district office, hoping to find places for their children.
MPL Lwana said although he was pleased with some of the department’s achievements, such as the manner in which it managed schools, there were challenges that he feared might spell disaster for the 2018 academic year if they were not immediately addressed.
“The fact that infrastructure challenges are continuing, for instance the prefab classrooms that have not been delivered, is a sign of poor planning. And this might lead to overcrowded classes at some schools. I mean everyone knew schools were opening today, so why were these prefabs not delivered,” Lwana asked.
He said the slow pace with which the department was filling permanent teacher posts was also cause for concern.
Earlier this week the department confirmed that not all permanent posts advertised in October last year had been filled and that the department planned to use temporary teachers in the interim.
After the meeting, the MPLs and some officials from the department visited some local schools.
Eastern Cape finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo spent the first day of school yesterday at two rural schools as part of the province’s school visit programme, which is spearheaded by the office of the premier.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at Cibeni Senior Secondary School in Libode, which achieved a 75.6 % pass rate in 2017, Somyo said this was one of the schools that gave hope in terms of growth and high quality of results.
“This school is currently number two within the Libode district and so parents are sending their children here, and that kind of growth means we have to give added support to this school.
“We also applaud that the teachers bring their own children to attend school here. It proves commitment to their jobs.”
The school’s principal, Sonwabile Njani, said their impressive results were due to parental support and the great relations between staff, SGB and management.
“The teachers and learners are motivated and continue motivating through little things such as competition. Even two of my children attended school here because if I am going to serve this community then my service must be good enough for the children of this community and my own,” said Njani.
The second school visited by the MEC – who interacted with learners, school governing body and teachers – was Mevana Junior Secondary school, which is a feeder school to Cibeni.
Classes were in full force at both schools with some of the learners taking small breaks to assist with the off-loading of books and stationery which had just arrived.
MEC Somyo and his team will conduct the last leg of the school visits tomorrow at Somagunya Senior Secondary School in Qumbu, which achieved a 69.8% pass rate in 2017, up from 23.5% in 2016. —
arethal@dispatch.co.za /
zipo-zenkosin@dispatch.co.za
MPLs’ visit reveals problems as 2018 school year begins
The department of education still has a few loose screws to tighten to ensure the 2018 academic year gets off to a smooth start.
This became evident at a three-hour meeting held at the Rubusana education district office in Mdantsane yesterday.
The meeting forms part of the annual school visits by Bhisho MPLs who form an education portfolio committee and are dispatched to schools across the province to receive first-hand information on the challenges encountered and validate the information received from officials from the education department.
The MPLs included Vumile Lwana from the ANC and the DA’s Nosimo Balindlela.
Outlining the state of readiness of schools in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) district, the manager of the BCM district Edgar Klaasen, told Bhisho MPLs and other stakeholders that prefab classrooms still had to be delivered, 61 schools were still waiting for workbooks and there was a challenge with late admissions.
Klaasen also zoomed in on the 2017 academic performance of schools in the district.
“Prefab classrooms will be delivered in the first term of school. Grade 10 literature workbooks have not been delivered to 61 schools that failed to place their order on time.
“Our main challenges currently are the issue of late admissions,” said Klaasen.
The department last week indicated that there were 4000 unplaced pupils, with East London, Port Elizabeth, Komani and Mthatha flagged as the worst areas when it comes to late admission of pupils.
The department spokesman, Malibongwe Mtima, said the problem was that parents wanted their children placed at specific schools, and were reluctant to take up the option of a second-choice school.
“Yes, there are enough schools. While some schools are filled to capacity there are schools that are under-enrolled,” said Mtima.
While the meeting was in process, scores of parents of unplaced pupils were queuing at the front desk of the district office, hoping to find places for their children.
MPL Lwana said although he was pleased with some of the department’s achievements, such as the manner in which it managed schools, there were challenges that he feared might spell disaster for the 2018 academic year if they were not immediately addressed.
“The fact that infrastructure challenges are continuing, for instance the prefab classrooms that have not been delivered, is a sign of poor planning. And this might lead to overcrowded classes at some schools. I mean everyone knew schools were opening today, so why were these prefabs not delivered,” Lwana asked.
He said the slow pace with which the department was filling permanent teacher posts was also cause for concern.
Earlier this week the department confirmed that not all permanent posts advertised in October last year had been filled and that the department planned to use temporary teachers in the interim.
After the meeting, the MPLs and some officials from the department visited some local schools.
Eastern Cape finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo spent the first day of school yesterday at two rural schools as part of the province’s school visit programme, which is spearheaded by the office of the premier.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at Cibeni Senior Secondary School in Libode, which achieved a 75.6 % pass rate in 2017, Somyo said this was one of the schools that gave hope in terms of growth and high quality of results.
“This school is currently number two within the Libode district and so parents are sending their children here, and that kind of growth means we have to give added support to this school.
“We also applaud that the teachers bring their own children to attend school here. It proves commitment to their jobs.”
The school’s principal, Sonwabile Njani, said their impressive results were due to parental support and the great relations between staff, SGB and management.
“The teachers and learners are motivated and continue motivating through little things such as competition. Even two of my children attended school here because if I am going to serve this community then my service must be good enough for the children of this community and my own,” said Njani.
The second school visited by the MEC – who interacted with learners, school governing body and teachers – was Mevana Junior Secondary school, which is a feeder school to Cibeni.
Classes were in full force at both schools with some of the learners taking small breaks to assist with the off-loading of books and stationery which had just arrived.
MEC Somyo and his team will conduct the last leg of the school visits tomorrow at Somagunya Senior Secondary School in Qumbu, which achieved a 69.8% pass rate in 2017, up from 23.5% in 2016. —
arethal@dispatch.co.za /
zipo-zenkosin@dispatch.co.za
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