The Gauteng Provincial Government has committed itself to promoting quality education and skills delivery. To do this we must make sure every leaner does well at school and leaves our institutions with the knowledge, skills and qualifications that will give them the best chance of success in adult life.
From January 2010 government will begin to provide all teachers in Grade 1 to 3 with standard lesson plans for literacy and numeracy. Later in the year learners in these grades will get workbooks to help them learn literacy and numeracy.
This is the beginning of a new support programme for primary schools that aims to make sure that all children pass maths and English by the time they leave Grade 7. To help principals, teachers and parents to know how well their learners are doing all children will be tested in literacy and numeracy in Grade 3 and Grade 6 every year.
These tests will also help the Department of Education, principals and the School Governing Body (SGB) to implement programmes to improve poorly performing schools.
Parents can help their children everyday by:
* listening to your child read for ten minutes
* counting and doing simple sums with your child for ten minutes
* helping your child to practice writing for ten minutes
* making sure your child arrives at school on time and behaves well.
It is also important for parents to attend school meetings and meet your child’s teacher once a term to discuss your child’s progress.
President Jacob Zuma has called on all of us to make education a priority for everyone. He has also called on principals, parents, teachers and learners to respect and implement what he calls the non negotiable for education, “Teachers must be in class on time teaching with correct textbook and no abuse of learners; learners must be in class on time learning, being respectful to their teachers and each other and do their home work,” said President Jacob Zuma.
Source: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.education.gpg.gov.za)
