Johnathan Paoli
BASIC Education minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on all stakeholders to intensify efforts aimed at creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
Gwarube said over the weekend that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) welcomed all teachers, non-teaching staff and learners back to school following a three-week long break.
“We urge school communities to mobilise the rest of the society to ensure that effective teaching and learning takes place so that our learners can achieve their full potential,” she said.
The Minister said schools should ensure the completion of the set work for the year and should adequately ensure that revision is done in a timely and proper fashion.
In addition, Gwarube appealed to communities to support schools and refrain from causing disruptions to the school schedule in light of the devastating impact it had on learning outcomes.
She condemned the recent burglaries at four schools in Limpopo, including the Blinkwater Gidela Secondary school, where valuable items were stolen and one school set alight.
“We call upon members of the community to work with the police in order to bring the criminals to face the full might of the law. We cannot afford a situation where the future of our children is jeopardised,” the minister said.
Gwarube said the department could only achieve its goals with the assistance of stakeholders, school governing bodies and parents in ensuring that learners are in classrooms with teachers and receiving the quality education they require.
While teachers and non-teaching staff returned on Monday, learners are expected back in school on Tuesday.
The department confirmed that the new semester consisted of 11 weeks, with 53 actual school days.
INSIDE EDUCATION
