Pretoria – The North West Province spent over R15 million towards multimedia resources that benefitted 500 secondary schools over the past five years.
Delivering the State of the Province Address on Friday, North West Premier Thandi Modise said the expenditure contributed significantly towards improving teaching and learning of mathematics and science and the overall improvement of matric results.
Matric results improved from under 60% in 1994 to 79.5% in 2012, and 87.2% in 2013.
She said they were humbled by the work of school governing bodies in keeping schools functional in all respects -- stocked, cleaned and repaired, punctual and presentable.
The Premier also expressed appreciation to teacher unions, parents and community members, who went out of their way to give qualitative support to bring the North West in second place on the matric results.
Tourism investment value
Meanwhile, in the tourism sector, the North West tourism investment value stands at R10 billion.
Premier Modise said it has contributed about 4% of the provincial GDP and generated R2.2 billion during 2012.
“The province supported 1 144 SMMEs, 81 cooperatives, 40 economic development projects in municipalities and 28 capacity building and interventions.
“One hundred and eighty-three SMME’s benefitted from first phase development, capacity building, market access and exposure to industry in the past financial year,” she said.
Women, youth and people with disability were also beneficiaries in 73 economic development programmes, which were rolled out in the province.
The province also scooped the 2010/2011 Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year (ETEYA) award. – SAnews.gov.za
