The Department of Education in the Eastern Cape says it is ready for the reopening of schools in the province.
Four coastal provinces – KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape will open schools on Wednesday for the 2022 academic year.
The department says close to 1 400 learners are still not placed in schools due to late applications.
The most affected areas are the Eastern Cape’s two metros, Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay.
Provincial department Spokesperson, Vuyiseka Mboxela says they, with unions, have embarked on a rationalisation process of teachers to ensure that all schools have the required teachers.
“In terms of schools, which have been unfortunately hit by the hail storm, we have got 84. But that is also looked at in terms of an emergency budget [for] infrastructure. On January 21 the province, through its Education MEC Fundile Gade, will be tabling the performance of the province following the national announcement which will be on January 22. Currently, we are having a back to back report that we get from districts in terms of certain issues that must be dealt with,” adds Mboxela.
Meanwhile, the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) says teachers are ready to start work.
The union’s provincial Chief Executive Officer, Loyiso Mbinda says the only issue they are faced with is the supply of stationery.
“Well on the side of teachers, the teachers are ready to work but they are being handicapped by some of the support material that they are supposed to receive from the Department of Education like the Learner Teacher Support Material, stationery which is something that is supposed to be used on the day one of schooling.”
“Unfortunately, the indication we have received from the department [is that] the possible earliest time when they can start delivering the stationery will be on January 25 and that is the result of the failure of the department to procure the LTSM in good time.,” explains Mbinda.
The video below is reporting about the readiness of the school reopening in the Eastern Cape:
Meanwhile, forty-five schools in Kwazulu-Natal could not open for registration, in preparation for the opening of schools in the coastal provinces later this week.
Close to 200 schools were damaged by recent storms.
Mobile classrooms have been provided for schools that were severely affected.
In the video below, KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Kwazi Mshengu reacts to recent floods:
