Pietermaritzburg - Its back to school on Wednesday for thousands of children attending coastal schools.
Education MEC's are expected to make surprise visits to schools to lend support to learners attending schools for the first time; check if the proper preparations were put in place to start the new school year and ensure that learning gets underway.
In the Western Cape, where more than 936 000 learners in the province will start the 2009 academic year, Members of Parliament and members of the Education Standing Committee as well as officials from the national and provincial education departments and district officials will visit schools to learn about best practice from institutions which are fully functional from the first day.
The visits will provide the officials with information concerning where assistance and support is needed in order to respond with solutions that will enable an institution to be fully functional as soon as possible.
Four new schools will also open their doors on Wednesday, namely Hindle Road West Primary School, Hindle Road West Secondary School and Abedare Primary School in Delft and Bardale Primary School in Mfuleni.
The provincial education department said Samora Machel Primary School in Philippi would also move into a new building while ten other schools are under construction.
The department has also set up mobile classrooms in areas where there is a demand for extra accommodation.
Last week, the Western Cape Education MEC Yousuf Gabru said 93 percent of textbooks and 98 percent of other Learning and Teaching Support Material had been delivered to schools with the balance to follow from Monday.
All furniture is expected to be delivered to the new schools on or before 21 January 2009.
"We are convinced that we have done as much as possible to ensure that schools are ready for the new academic year.
"As is the custom, officials worked closely with schools before the end of the 2008 academic year to ensure a smooth start to the school year, I appreciate the preparation they have done while simultaneously concluding their work for 2008," Mr Gabru said last week.
In KwaZulu-Natal, Education MECs will also pay surprise visits on Wednesday to some of the schools to monitor the state of readiness on the first day.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC Ina Cronje will go on an unannounced visit to some of the schools around the province as part of monitoring and ensuring that teaching and learning starts on the first day of school.
More than 6000 schools in the province will be opening on Wednesday.
Ms Cronje will be accompanied by provincial MEC for Finance and Economic Development Dr Zweli Mkhize, Premier Sibusiso Ndebele and His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini during the visits, earmarked to run for three days in various districts.
