Get to the root of Bay school needs
FUNCTIONAL schools, support material and ghost-busting – be it the eradication of phantom teachers, pupils or schools which are draining the system. This is what education authorities want to see in our schools in the next fortnight.
Indeed, there appears to be at least some substance attached to assurances that all efforts are being made to get the new school year off to a glitch-free start in Nelson Mandela Bay from today, given the announcement of visits by high-powered delegations.
But we will find out soon enough if a renewed commitment to address long-standing issues – which repeat themselves year on year – will yield the desired results, or if once again promises dissipate and we are back to square one.
Not only will a deputation led by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga descend on Bay schools in the coming days, but a National Council of Provinces team will also be in the metro to monitor classroom activity.
This really should come as no surprise given the volatility in certain sectors where teacher shortages, late delivery of textbooks and overcrowded classrooms continue to impact heavily on academic performance.
One of the reasons behind such heavyweight inspections would appear to be concern over the northern areas where protests at the beginning of last year triggered a complete shutdown of schools for two months.
No matter the degree to which this affected the dismal Port Elizabeth district matric pass rate last year, we simply cannot afford to have a precarious situation where parents feel they have no other choice but to force the closure of school gates to have their voices heard.
Motshekga must get to the root of why the needs of seriously affected institutions have remain unattended – in some cases for several years.
If the government can demonstrate it has the determination to normalise these schools’ operations to allow pupils optimum learning opportunities, the community will respond positively.
Schooling that takes place in such an environment is a catalyst for allround improvements in pupils’ tuition.
It is clear we owe it to them.