Gauteng Legislature assesses school readiness

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) will embark on a school readiness drive from Wednesday until Friday to assess issues such as registration, teaching and the state of affairs in schools.

“Presiding officers [of the GPL] will engage with the schools management to identify critical needs for speedy intervention.  During this campaign, the presiding officers -- together with the Portfolio Committee on Education -- will each actively visit two identified schools, accompanied by the relevant stakeholders.  

“Officers will oversee the readiness of schools for the 2018 academic year, looking specifically at issues such as the registration intake process, monitoring teaching and learning and looking at the state of affairs in the respective schools,” said the Provincial Legislature.

The GPL will pay a visit to 15 secondary schools in the Tshwane region education district as part of the institution’s School Readiness Programme for the 2018 academic year.

The initiative forms part of the legislature’s oversight mandate over the work of the executive authority in the province.

Towards the end of 2017, the Gauteng Department of Education’s executive authority outlined the department’s financial situation underpinning several constraints. The visits are thus aimed at assessing the schools’ state of readiness ahead of the new academic year.

“Presiding officers will also use this initiative to donate valuable educational support materials to the schools based on their individual needs such as school shoes, uniform and groceries, among other things,” said the legislature.

Parents and learners can also expect to hear about the mandate of the legislature, as well as the campaign for the promotion of the right to education for children and the role of parents in providing support and strengthening the education system.

To kick off the drive, the following schools will be visited on the first day of school, Wednesday, 17 January: Sitjhejiwe Secondary School in Ekangala; Strauss Secondary School, Nkangala; Lesedi Secondary School, Donkerhoek; Tshipatabani Secondary School, Donkerhoek; Wozanibone Secondary School, Sokhulumi; Sokhulumi Secondary School, Cultural High School, Bronkhorspruit; Dan Kutumelo Secondary, Bronkhorspruit; Mpumelelo Secondary School, Bronkhorspruit and Zithobeni Secondary School, Bronkhorspruit. 

On Thursday, oversight visits will be conducted at these schools: Memezelo Secondary School, Soshanguve; Hlanganani Secondary School, Soshanguve; Elizabeth Matemela Secondary School, Soshanguve; Kgomotso Secondary School, Soshanguve; Soshanguwe Secondary School; Botsebotse Secondary School, Soshanguve; Senthibile Secondary School, Soshanguve; Amogleng Secondary School, Soshanguve; Makhosini Secondary School, Soshanguve and Lethabong Secondary School, Soshanguve. 

To close off the first week of school, the GPL will on Friday pay a visit to these schools in Hammanskraal: Ntswane Secondary School; Tipfuxeni Secondary School; Adam Masebe Secondary School; New Estrus Secondary School; Modilate Secondary School; Bokamuso Secondary School; Hans Kekana Secondary School; Rakgotso Secondary School; Madisong Secondary School and Lehwelereng Secondary School. - SAnews.gov.za