Top education managers get moved around
EASTERN Cape Education MEC Mandla Makupula has announced a rotation of roles in his department’s executive management.
He described this as being “part of normal administrative processes, meant to set the tone for urgent implementation of all the plans and recommendations of various interventions that our government has brought to bear on the department”.
According to Makupula, after extensive consultations with the premier, a number of decisions had been agreed to. These were:
Raymond Tywakadi, previously acting head of department, being asked to revert to his full-time position of deputy director-general of institutional operations management;
Dr Soyisile Nuku, who held the fort in the absence of Tywakadi, reassuming his permanent position as chief director: strategic coordination in the office of the superintendent general; and
Sizakele Nontsikelelo Netshilaphala, the department’s accounting officer, assuming the full role of acting superintendent-general, thereby recombining both functions of the department head and accounting officer.
“This will therefore ensure that overall administrative oversight of the department is focused in one office, thus allowing her adequate latitude to implement departmental imperatives judiciously and with the necessary authority,” Makupula said.
He extended his gratitude to Tywakadi and Nuku for their leadership “under sometimes very demanding conditions”.
“Their experience will not be lost as they will continue as part of executive management.
“I wish Ms Netshilaphala success in the execution of her expanded responsibilities.
“She can count on the full support of all of us in the department as she looks ahead to an exciting yet challenging task ahead.”
Makupula said that despite challenges, the department would continue on a “consistent upward trajectory to stabilise and focus on its core business of teaching and learning”.
He called on everyone – particularly parents, teachers, department staff and government institutions – to support the changes.