KZN Premier meets education stakeholders
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Mr Senzo Mchunu today met with stakeholders in the education sector to share their experiences in the monitoring of the opening of schools this week.
Chairperson of the Legislature's chairperson of the education portfolio committee Linda Hlongwa said is important to do an audit of all the developments even going as far back to the start of the current administration.
"We need to also learn from President Jacob Zuma who has made it clear that education is not an issue for politicking but an critical issue for the whole country," she said.
Mchunu said the schools monitoring program is very important in ensuring that on the first day of the academic year all teachers and learners are not only in school but in class, teaching and learning.
"It is clear that, for the sake of the country as a whole, we need to ensure quality education because this is the only way we will be able to improve the quality of life for everyone and most importantly the whole country," said Mchunu.
"The benefits of education goes beyond an individual but will become an advantage for the whole community because you have individuals who can contribute to the country as a whole in its growth," said Mchunu.
Mchunu said in the ANA assessment there have been great improvements in the lower grades, but grade nine learners registered very poor results in mathematics.
Mchunu said education is not as complicated as it has been made out to be, but only requires all stakeholders to communicate effectively.
Mchunu gave a report of minor issues discovered when he visited schools on the first day of school including books which were it delivered to Mpumaze Primary school, which resulted in the department of education promptly cancelling the contract with the supplier.
"The issue is as government, we cannot be complicit on issues of non delivery. Because we know who the supplier is that has failed to deliver, we cannot therefore continue to do business with them," said Mchunu.
Hlongwa gave a notion good report of one of the schools visited by members, Phangifa high school, which had a very low pass rate, a teacher who has been on prolonged medical leave, and a lack of leadership.
She also said the biggest challenge faced by the Uthungulu district is the failure to get teachers because the areas largely rural.
"In some schools, teachers have resorted to using public transport because they have to travel more than 30 kilometres on very bad gravel roads," she said.
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya: Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 3754742
Regi Khumalo: Media Liaison Desk for the Premier
Cell: 079 751 6108
