Gauteng Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Lebogang Maile, has reiterated government’s call for learning to start on the first day of the new academic year, without any interference.
“Late registration undermines our efforts to make access to schooling easier, but most importantly, it has a negative impact on the start of schooling in that particular school,” MEC Maile said.
He made the call on Wednesday, when he visited a number of schools in Tembisa Township, north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng.
The visit was part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s 2018 school readiness programme.
The MEC’s oversight visit aimed to strengthen the quality of education provisioning in the province, highlight government’s plan to address classroom shortages, change widespread negative perception about township education and schools, and draw the public’s attention to government’s commitments and plans to overhauling and transforming education.
The MEC’s day started at Thuto ke Matla Comprehensive School in Maokeng section, where he interacted with educators, learners and parents, who came to the school to make last minute admission registrations for their children.
He encouraged parents to register their children on time, through the Gauteng Government’s ambitious online application system, and encouraged learners to take their schooling seriously.
He also challenged the school community to give practical expression to the school’s name - Thuto-Ke-Matla (Knowledge is Power) “to be a revered centre of knowledge reproduction and academic excellence for people’s power”.
Use education to overcome poverty
MEC Maile further called on learners to be dedicated in their schooling, so that they can use education to overcome poverty, underdevelopment and joblessness.
He handed over school uniforms to needy learners, as well as dignity packs to female learners.
The MEC said this gesture by the provincial government was the most befitting way to remember and honour the country’s two great struggle icons, the late former President Nelson Mandela and Mme Albertina Sisulu.
“This year 2018, marks their centennial birthdays, had it not been for their selfless sacrifices, South Africa would have still remained a pariah, but look now we live in a country that is free, democratic and belongs to all,” MEC Maile said.
MEC Maile also visited Zitikeni Secondary School, Tlamatlama Primary School and Bokamoso Secondary School to ensure that the culture of learning and teaching was upheld on the first day of schooling.
The MEC was satisfied with the overall readiness demonstrated by educators in all the schools visited. – SAnews.gov.za
