The Department of Social Development and Special Programmes continued to demonstrate commitment in addressing challenges of inequality and education when MEC Pemmy Majodina handed over school uniforms and sanitary towels to 160 learners from 32 different schools that are from around Emalahleni local municipality during a Back to School Campaign held in Lady Frere’s Town Hall.
The main objective of the campaign is to reach out to children in need, to promote community participation on issues affecting children and to improve socio economic conditions of children in the province. It also seeks to ensure that even those learners from disadvantaged backgrounds have an equal chance of being the learners they can be.
A total of 960 learners from Chris Hani District are targeted to be beneficiaries of school uniforms by the end of the campaign. Each package comprises of a pair of shoes, a jersey, tie, shirt and a pair of trousers or tunic for girls. The identification of these beneficiaries was a joint effort of social workers, teachers, parents and community leaders.
Speaking at the event, MEC Majodina said for early childhood development to make a difference there should be a joint effort between parents, the community and the government. She said children from disadvantaged environments often end up in a tragic cycle which ultimately means as adults they end up becoming unemployed and poor. She also eluded the fact that parents should offer first lessons of what is right and wrong and if this foundation is lacking, then it becomes an uphill battle for schools and teachers.
“We plead with parents to make sure that children do their home work and engage on a daily basis with their work books and we call on our educators to unsure that they do what they must do in schools and particularly in classrooms. We understand as a government that this exercise is especially important that it shows how much we care, that we are indeed concerned about what is happening at our schools and that we want to see both teachers and learners succeed,” said Majodina.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries Ms M Myaluse thanked the department for providing school uniforms and sanitary towels. “We are so grateful to the department; this truly shows the commitment that the department has in making sure that our children get a better education.”
MEC Majodina also handed over 20 scientific calculators to Nonkqubela High School and two computers to Sijongephambili High School. She also visited and handed over food parcels to two identified disadvantaged families from a township in Lady Frere.
