Sacking not the answer
CALLS for the MEC for education in the Eastern Cape [Mandla Makupula] to be sacked – with some including for premier Phumulo Masualle to be sacked or resign – sound all fashionable and catchy.
The society has abdicated its responsibility, parents have resigned from their responsibility and infrastructure inadequacies have not been entirely addressed.
Administration of the department has proved to be less than stable over the past 20 years. There has been reported corruption and maladministration but there has been little report on consequence management.
In 2016, the University of Stellenbosch, in partnership with government, identified the following “binding constraints”: Weak institutional functionality; Undue union influence; Weak teacher content knowledge and pedagogical skills; and
Wasted learning time and insufficient opportunity to learn.
More time has to be dedicated to asking for and finding the appropriate response to these constraints.
In the Eastern Cape, kids walk the longest distances to school, poverty and low literacy levels are also some of the major contributors, which are historic.
This MEC has brought about a better pass rate from last year and is on course for the three-year plan of improvement.
Poverty, as well as infrastructure backlogs that include classrooms, ablution facilities, libraries, laboratories, roads and transportation, have to be addressed. A lot of good work is being done and it gives hope. Is Section 100 still on or not? This uncertainty contributes to the first binding constraint. Yes, the province failed to spend R500-million but has since made amends in this regard.
This has a telling impact on the results at all levels of schooling.
Society must stop waiting for the Grade 12 results before they show an interest in the education system; it is an everyday matter. What are school governing bodies doing; do they know what their primary task is?
Are teachers in the class for the minimum required hours with the required skill and support?
It’s time for collective responsibility that includes all stakeholders. Recalling the MEC and/or the premier is unlikely to change the status quo. — Simphiwe Thobela, Flagstaff four months or longer for the query to be resolved through the anonymous billingq@buffalocity.
According to the credit control bylaws of the municipality, all queries relating to accounts must be resolved in the subsequent [meaning the following or the very next] account. We are asking the BCMM to abide by the bylaws.
If indeed the BCMM wants to be seen as a “caring institution” then they will solve the problems which gives rise to the queries, as by now they have detailed information on the type and amount of queries received, as well as to introduce a more efficient and interactive system to resolve queries. — Boitumelo Suping, chairman: Buffalo City Ratepayers’ Forum