Hundreds in Jourbetina receive school uniform, thanks to Social Development

The Department of Social Development and special programmes visited Joubertina in Koukamma Municipality to hand over school uniforms to needy and vulnerable students as part of the department' annual back to school campaign.

Total of 480 pupils from Cacadu district municipality are targeted to be beneficiaries of school uniforms and bags by the end of the campaign. A total of eighty three pupils from sourrounding schools in Joubertina, Joubertina Primary (12), Louterwater Primary (13), Misgund Primary (4), Krakeel Primary (8), Stormsriver Primary (7), Thornill Primary (8), Kareedouw Primary (8), Sanddrift Primary (15) and Coldstream Primary (8), benefitted on the day of the event.

Due to commitment government to encourage students to attend school, teachers were there to receive school uniforms on behalf of the pupils. Each package comprise of a pair of trousers or tunic for girls, pair of shoes, a tie, jersey and a shirt.

A study report conducted by the department revealed that there is high rate of drop out of school by children from Jourbetina area due to lack of parental involvement and lack of interest amongst parents with regards to the schooling of children. Lack of high school in Tsitsikamma area, poverty, lack of transport to high schools are also pointed as some of the reasons that lead to children drop out of school before reaching grade 12.

Speaking on behalf of the MEC for social development and special programmes Pemmy Majodina, MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Xoliswa Tom said there is a need to form a partnership in helping to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable children in the area. "We as government cannot stand watching our children to drop out of school. We have therefore decided to engage everybody in the community because taking care of our children is not the responsibility of government alone, but the society as a whole", she said.

"The government is committed to improve the health care, education and fight against crime in the area of Joubertina. We are also committed to create jobs, the department of social development and special programmes is funding projects around this area with up to R500 000", she added.

Passing gratitudes on behalf of the receipients, Vernon Geldebloem, a teacher from Krakeel primary school said, "the children will be very happy when we handover the uniform to them and the children identified by the department are those who really needed school uniform. We also appreciate the outreach by the province, children here in Joubertina are so poor we really need intervention by government".

A joint effort by social workers, community leaders and teachers assist to identify children that are in need of this kind of intervention by the department.

MEC Tom also launched Misgund safe home and two needy families received food parcels. For this year, the department is targeting 8,400 children from the province, and have set aside a total budget of R5,9 million.