I Cronje and M Mthimkhulu on farm schools

21 January 2007

KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronje and Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs MEC Mtholephi Mthimkhulu met with the Congress of South African Trade
Unions (Cosatu) yesterday (20 January 2007), to discuss the issue of problems
experienced at some farm schools in the province.

The provincial government has learnt with great concern of the closure of
some of our schools, which prevents our children from having education from day
one as per commitment to our learners and their parents.

Four schools, situated on farms in Newcastle, Dundee, Greytown and Eshowe
have reported problems to open for the 2007 education year.

Children, who attend farm schools, have the right to education like any
other children in the province and the country. We will leave no stone unturned
to ensure that the children affected, are accommodated at schools in the
interim, while we resolve the matter.

To that end we will be engaging farmers where necessary and our officials in
the Department of Education are working around the clock to ensure the minimum
loss of teaching and learning.

We are determined to ensure first of all that all our schools, including our
farm schools, are fully functional. We will not tolerate the fact that some of
our children are being denied the right to education and we are committed to
work together in the interest of education of our children, as departments and
as a province.

For further information, please contact:
Christi Naude
Education spokeswoman
Cell: 083 262 8829

Vusi Zuma
Agriculture and Environmental Affairs spokesman
Cell: 082 415 7277

Issued by: Departments of Education, and Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
21 January 2007