Plan to curb looting of resources
EDUCATION MEC Mandla Makupula has revealed plans to overhaul the schooling system to curb looting of government resources.
Part of Makupula’s plan is to offer practical training to school governing bodies (SGBs), especially illiterate parents in rural communities, to enable them to question principals about school finances. Parents will then also understand the role of SGBs in the schooling system.
Makupula said he had made interventions to curb corruption at the headquarters in Zwelitsha in the past by transferring pupil transport to the provincial transport department and feeding scheme funds to schools.
He said his department was in talks with the Public Works Department in an attempt to also move the school infrastructure programme. The department has been unable to spend the infrastructure budget in the past.
He said he wanted to leave behind a legacy of community involvement at schools. He has been at the helm of the department for almost three years.
His department launched the provincial quality learning and teaching campaign steering committee at the Stirling Education Leadership Institute on Tuesday. The committee is aimed at fostering a positive culture at schools.
He said traditional and church leaders in rural communities would help with training of SGBs.