Back to school in pictures
‘It was heart-warming to see so many parents with their children’
SIXTY-year-old father Jan Kamfer could not hold back the tears yesterday as he dropped his 8-year-old son Jonathan at school to start Grade 1.
Jonathan was one of 167 Grade 1s who arrived at Westbank No 1 Primary School.
Accompanied by his daughters Nadia and Debora Kamfer, Jan said he was looking forward to seeing his son through the next 12 years of schooling.
“This was my laatlammetjie and he is looking forward to his new class. He was nervous but it was easier as he did his Grade R here – his mother wishes she could be here but had to work, unfortunately,” Jan said.
He said that Jonathan’s cousins and siblings were also at the school, so he had confidence his son would be fine.
The boy was shy and didn’t say much, only that he would not cry once his father had left.
Jan was one of many parents who dropped their little ones at school for the first time.
The provincial education department said it had managed to place 1.1 million pupils, or 99%, for this academic year
Principal Greg Gordon said they had also accepted 60 Grade R pupils.
“There are still parents waiting to register their children and others will be placed on the waiting list. We could take on more for another Grade 1 class, but do not have sufficient teachers,” he said.
To register their children, parents and guardians had starting queueing on Tuesday morning, but Gordon said the school could not do much.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer yesterday visited Levana Primary School in Lavender Hill, along with chief director of districts Alan Meyer.
“It was heart-warming to see so many parents there with their children, accompanying them on their first day.
“At Levana Primary, learners are met at the school gates by school safety officers. While many learners were very brave as they bid farewell to their parents, there were also some tears shed as parents stood at the school fence to watch their little ones enter the next stage of their life.
“One Grade R learner even tried to make a run for it. We eventually managed to convince the learners who were upset to return to class and the school day kicked off without any hiccups,” Schäfer said.
She said 106 015 Grade 1 pupils started school across the province and the department would be on standby to provide assistance at schools where there were late registrations and any other lastminute tasks that needed to be completed.
Each district office has identified officials who will assist parents who struggle to find a place.
Visit the WCED website for a list of district officials as well as information regarding enrolments – https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/home/https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/home/FAQ/faq-index.html