MEC Barbara Creecy,
CEO of ABSA Ms Maria Ramos,
Principal of Roseneath Primary School Mr George Sokwaliwa,
Representatives of UTi and Toms Shoes,
Educators and learners,
Distinguished guests.
Once again, good morning.
I’m happy to be here. I derive great strength from the joy I see in your eyes. Clearly, you are ready for this year and I expect all of you to pass. Listen to your teachers and your parents. They know what’s good for you. Without education, there is no life.
As the 2012 school year gets under way, many of our learners will contend with the many effects of inequality, joblessness and poverty affecting their parents. Our task is to remove obstacles on their way, to create an environment conducive for quality learning and teaching.
Primary schools are very important to us. Improving early childhood development will ensure better performance throughout the system.
Our focus for 2012 is on ensuring a smooth implementation of the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements. These schools will now teach English from Grade one, from this year. We will continue using the workbooks we introduced last year to support teaching and learning, ascertaining that learners have sufficient and quality materials.
For better efficiency, monitoring and accountability for what happens in the classroom, we will step-up the Annual National Assessments. Educators and representatives of parents who are here must help us promote proper use of assessments and workbooks at school and at the children’s homes.
We welcome this noble gesture on the part of our partners, Toms Shoes, UTi, Absa and Sesego Cares, who provided school shoes to children. These precious shoes will indeed assist our learners, by improving their educational experience, and giving them comfort and dignity.
I challenge all teachers, in their work, to also teach the children the value of this gift of shoes. It’s our way of saying ‘thanks’ to our partners. Indeed it would make me very proud were you to make the children love the shoes dearly as legendary Leprechauns polish and adore shoes.
I am happy that community involvement in education is taking root. The urgent call for a social compact is gathering momentum. We welcome our mutual partnership and commit to strengthen this bond of friendship for the sake of our country and its children.
We thank Toms Shoes, UTi, ABSA and Sesego Cares for caring. This campaign will help us show ‘education is a societal issue’. It’s a responsibility of all of us. No government can educate the people without the people. For me this day confirms the importance of making education a top priority. It is through education that we can create a better life for all our people.
This province did a splendid job last year. It achieved 81.1% pass rate, up from 78.6% of 2010. For this I congratulate MEC Creecy and all of you for a job well done.
As I said we couldn’t do it alone as government. To improve the quality of basic education, we need strategic and sustainable partnerships.
Lastly, we would like to say to all our partners ‘thank you’ for ploughing back to communities in which you do business. Through your support for school education, our children will acquire the necessary skills to discover the hidden pot of gold. It is indeed a question of ‘one for one’ as Toms Shoes has put it. Once more ‘Happy New Year’ to all of you!
I wish you success and a prosperous year.
