The Eastern Cape Department of Education recently held a launch of the sixth term of School Governing Body (SGB) elections programme; this time around was rather special as it was the first official launch since its inception.
In a grand event which was attended by the Honourable MEC for Education Mahlubandile Qwase and Chief Bhovulengwe Mthirharha, the Chief Director for IMD and G Nosipho Skenjana challenged those who will be coming in as the new SGB members to improve, develop schools and give hope to students.
She said that SGB members must see being elected as an opportunity to make a difference in schools. “Your (SGB members) role is to ensure stability and responsibility in schools. You are given the right to recommend teachers you want the Department of Education to employ bearing in mind that the department has the final say,” said Skenjana.
In his address MEC Qwase advised SGB members that when given the challenge ‘they must run while others are walking’ in order to achieve what they are elected for.
He emphasised the fact that poor performance and mediocrity will not be accepted. “Our students do have the potential to succeed so, we need to change these pockets of excellence into blankets of excellence so that we can stop producing taxi drivers and thugs, instead our province needs doctors and lawyers,” said Qwase.
Citing the poor role which is played by parents in their children’s' education, Qwase advised parents to show interest in their children when it comes to their school work. Qwase said that “parents must start attending parents meetings that are called by the SGB and must also assist their children when they are doing their homework and assignments.”
The MEC announced that the department is planning to revive the SGB forum in district and circuit level so ‘there is better communication and proper planning as to what is expected of the SGB members’ “We are also training education development officers so that they can go back to their respective schools to train and empower SGB members,” added Qwase.
There were also messages of support from the corporate partners such as National Association of School Governing Body (NASGB), National Association of Professional Teachers of South Africa (NAPTOSA) and South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU). In one voice the unions said that they fully support the SGB in schools and believe that when the new SGB comes into power and understand their roles everything will run accordingly in schools.
The first elections of this sixth term are scheduled to start on 1 June 2009. The new SGB members who will be elected will run for the cycle of three years.
Issued by: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
4 June 2009
Source: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoe.gov.za/)
