By ZINGISA MVUMVU and ZINE GEORGE
Two East London high schools are set to benefit from R75-million set aside by the provincial department of education as part of its Schools of Skills programme’s learner attainment improvement strategy.
This was announced by education MEC Mandla Makupula during the tabling of his department’s budget speech for the 2017-18 financial year in the Bhisho legislature yesterday.
Alphandale and Baysville secondary schools in East London are two of six schools in the province that are part of the department’s Schools of Skills pilot project.
The other four schools are in Bizana, KwaBhaca, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage.
All six serve 1904 learners but the department aims to increase that number to 354956 in 640 Schools of Skills by 2022 in line with the state’s National Development Plan (NDP) objectives.
“The curriculum framework is offering 29 subjects including languages, maths and life skills,” said Makapula.
“Remember these schools offer different skills, more like artisan schools … where we are trying to strengthen our vocational and technical education.
“This programme will go a long way towards dealing with the high dropout rate across the system, thus redirecting learners to become active participants in the economy,” he added.
Makupula said part of the budget was to buy equipment, train subject advisors and capacitate teachers.
Makupula also said that more than 900 permanent Grade R teaching posts would be opened by the provincial department of education from next month.
The move forms part of a R632-million budget earmarked for early childhood development (ECD).
Currently 4477 Eastern Cape primary schools have GradeR classes attached to them.
The Daily Dispatch has reported on the plight of GradeR teachers who survive on stipends from school governing bodies.
The department had failed to budget for their posts since the grade was made a part of mainstream education in 2014.
Makupula said they now wanted to prioritise ECD centre professionals.
“For the first time in the history of post provisioning norms in the province, ECD practitioner posts formed part of the declaration, and therefore will be employed permanently as qualified teachers with benefits,” said Makupula.
The department “has earmarked and declared 982 posts to be filled by suitably qualified ECD practitioners only,” he added.
The allocation includes funding the 4467 schools that have Grade R classes with educational toys.
Makupula also set aside R1.6-billion towards building four new schools, 161 water and sanitation projects and connecting 32 schools to electricity.
The money will also be used to build 12 new ECD centres as well as 92 special classrooms such as science laboratories and libraries.
An additional R717-million has been made available to renovate schools destroyed in the past two years due to natural disasters.
“These are due for contract awards in the 2017-18 financial year,” said Makapula.
“We started with the recent disasters which hit 13 schools in Mthatha and five around East London,” he said.
“We have promptly placed contractors at all the disaster-stricken schools of Mount Frere, KwaPayne, Mqanduli and Mdantsane.
“This includes attending to previous disasters, where we have handed over 45 sites to contractors for major renovation projects amounting to R133-million.”
The Dispatch reported last week that pupils with learning disabilities look set to benefit from the new budget.
There are 43 special schools in the province, with seven in East London and 13 in Port Elizabeth.
The education department decided last year to establish six more centres – one each in East London, Libode, Mount Fletcher, Butterworth, Fort Beaufort and Cradock.
Two of the six opened to learners in January – College Street in East London and Mount Fletcher special school.
The department is also forging ahead with plans to expand its maritime schools project.
There are currently two schools, both in East London, offering maritime studies – Ngwenyathi High School in Nxarhuni and George Randall High School.
“There is already a pool of eight qualified teachers and three qualified district subject planners with a master’s degree in maritime studies identified as a resource.
“The department will use 2017 for planning the expansion programme in 2018 to other areas,” added Makupula.
R75m for schools of skills
Two East London high schools are set to benefit from R75-million set aside by the provincial department of education as part of its Schools of Skills programme’s learner attainment improvement strategy.
This was announced by education MEC Mandla Makupula during the tabling of his department’s budget speech for the 2017-18 financial year in the Bhisho legislature yesterday.
Alphandale and Baysville secondary schools in East London are two of six schools in the province that are part of the department’s Schools of Skills pilot project.
The other four schools are in Bizana, KwaBhaca, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage.
All six serve 1904 learners but the department aims to increase that number to 354956 in 640 Schools of Skills by 2022 in line with the state’s National Development Plan (NDP) objectives.
“The curriculum framework is offering 29 subjects including languages, maths and life skills,” said Makapula.
“Remember these schools offer different skills, more like artisan schools … where we are trying to strengthen our vocational and technical education.
“This programme will go a long way towards dealing with the high dropout rate across the system, thus redirecting learners to become active participants in the economy,” he added.
Makupula said part of the budget was to buy equipment, train subject advisors and capacitate teachers.
Makupula also said that more than 900 permanent Grade R teaching posts would be opened by the provincial department of education from next month.
The move forms part of a R632-million budget earmarked for early childhood development (ECD).
Currently 4477 Eastern Cape primary schools have GradeR classes attached to them.
The Daily Dispatch has reported on the plight of GradeR teachers who survive on stipends from school governing bodies.
The department had failed to budget for their posts since the grade was made a part of mainstream education in 2014.
Makupula said they now wanted to prioritise ECD centre professionals.
“For the first time in the history of post provisioning norms in the province, ECD practitioner posts formed part of the declaration, and therefore will be employed permanently as qualified teachers with benefits,” said Makupula.
The department “has earmarked and declared 982 posts to be filled by suitably qualified ECD practitioners only,” he added.
The allocation includes funding the 4467 schools that have Grade R classes with educational toys.
Makupula also set aside R1.6-billion towards building four new schools, 161 water and sanitation projects and connecting 32 schools to electricity.
The money will also be used to build 12 new ECD centres as well as 92 special classrooms such as science laboratories and libraries.
An additional R717-million has been made available to renovate schools destroyed in the past two years due to natural disasters.
“These are due for contract awards in the 2017-18 financial year,” said Makapula.
“We started with the recent disasters which hit 13 schools in Mthatha and five around East London,” he said.
“We have promptly placed contractors at all the disaster-stricken schools of Mount Frere, KwaPayne, Mqanduli and Mdantsane.
“This includes attending to previous disasters, where we have handed over 45 sites to contractors for major renovation projects amounting to R133-million.”
The Dispatch reported last week that pupils with learning disabilities look set to benefit from the new budget.
There are 43 special schools in the province, with seven in East London and 13 in Port Elizabeth.
The education department decided last year to establish six more centres – one each in East London, Libode, Mount Fletcher, Butterworth, Fort Beaufort and Cradock.
Two of the six opened to learners in January – College Street in East London and Mount Fletcher special school.
The department is also forging ahead with plans to expand its maritime schools project.
There are currently two schools, both in East London, offering maritime studies – Ngwenyathi High School in Nxarhuni and George Randall High School.
“There is already a pool of eight qualified teachers and three qualified district subject planners with a master’s degree in maritime studies identified as a resource.
“The department will use 2017 for planning the expansion programme in 2018 to other areas,” added Makupula.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos