MEC Mbatha-Mthimkulu visits Metsweding District Schools as schools reopen

As part of the Education Week where schools reopened for the 2010 academic year, the community, teachers, principals and School Governing Bodies (SGB) around the Metsweding District committed themselves to improving conditions of learning and teaching in the area.

This was as the Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation visited the schools and held a community iMbizo on 13 January on first day of school.

Her first stop was Chipa Tabane High School in Refilwe where over 98% of learners arrived in time before the start of school at 7h30. Following the MEC's address the learners headed straight to class were teaching and learning began.

On behalf of the Gauteng department of Education and the province the MEC committed to support to learners and schools. "We'll be redoubling our effort to improve learner support at the senior secondary level. We will conduct an analysis to identify subjects, schools and districts for targeted intervention. We'll also be extending our existing Saturday School and holiday class programme to learners in Grades 10-12 in underperforming schools", said MEC Mbatha-Mthimkulu.

At the MEC's second and third stops at Sedibeng Primary and Onverwacht Primary Schools, parents could still be seen queuing- up to register their children. However despite this, teaching and learning continued with teachers doing their jobs and administrators doing the registering.

The MEC's busy schedule also saw her meeting with SGBs around the area and later hosting an iMbizo in Ekangala. It was evident during a meeting with SGBs that the structure does exist in all the schools however it needs strengthening and support as many of the committees were still fairly new and therefore needing capacity building. Issues which arose included: the culture of learning and teaching; the state of schools; overcrowding; teacher shortage and the empowerment of SGBs.

There was a huge turnout of the community for the MEC's iMbizo held at Enkangala. Though the community had much more to talk about, many raised crucial issues relating to education. These included matriculants being denied space at varsities, lack of consideration for those who've passed matric over some years ago and being denied access to repeat when they fail (matric).

In her plea to the community, the MEC urged learners to work hard and that those who didn't pass to pursue other alternatives to continue with their studies. According to her they "can register to write up to two supplementary examinations, and in the past we have seen good results coming out of the supplementary examinations", said the MEC. She also added that they can register as part-time candidates and redo certain subjects to improve their overall results or opt for Further Education and Training colleges.

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