Mafikeng - The North West Department of Education has started the Letsema Cleaning Campaign to ensure that leaning resumes smoothly on the first day when schools open.
The Letsema Campaign, which started on Tuesday, is expected to end on 13 January 2009 when the schools in province re-open for 2009.
During the campaign prior to the re-opening of schools, communities were requested to volunteer their services in cleaning, scuffling, cutting the grass, painting, scrubbing and polishing floors.
Departmental spokesperson, Charles Raseala told BuaNews on Wednesday that the campaign would mainly ensure that schools were clean and prepared for schooling to take place on the first day.
"We normally carry out this cleaning campaign in all schools in the province to ensure that learners do not spend their first days at schools cleaning-up instead of continuing with their classes."
Mr Raseala further encouraged school management, parents and local education authorities to continue to involve their immediate communities through volunteering to ensure that the Letsema Campaign was carried throughout the year.
The department has also identified eight schools in the province which will receive cleaning and garden tools during the Letsema Campaign.
Departmental MEC Johannes Tselapedi is also expected to join the campaign on Friday at the Ipeleng Primary School in the Mafikeng Local Municipality.
He has also invited religious leaders, business people, members of the legislature, councilors, educators and learners to join the campaign in schools across the province.
Chairperson of the School Governing Body, Ruth Moepi from Boorilaagte in the Tswaing Local Municipaity told BuaNews that they were presently cleaning and painting the schools to ensure schooling starts on the first day.
She said the cleaning campaign in her village was gaining support every year from members of the community.
"We have mobilised members of our community to assist in the cleaning process of this school to make sure that when our children come back to school they do not waste time by cleaning.
"We are going to repair windows, paint walls, cut grass, polish the floors as a team to show our children support at an early age," she said.
Previously, she said, parents in communities did not care about cleaning schools, they left this responsibility to teachers and learners.
"Things have now changed because of this campaign as parents come to schools before they re-open to ensure that the schools are clean and ready for children to use."
Ms Moepi was satisfied that members of the community in her village were supporting the campaign in large numbers.
"I am glad people in this community are supporting the campaign in support of their own children.
"Everybody who has a child in this school is willing to come and participate in this campaign," she said
