Gauteng Education to table performance report on public primary schools

The Department of Education in Gauteng will table a comprehensive performance report on all public primary schools in the province.

Premier David Makhura says the report will help improve learning and teaching in the foundation phases.

Makhura attended the release of the 2019 Gauteng matric results hosted by Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in Randburg, north of Johannesburg.

Gauteng came second nationally with a pass rate of 87.2%, just behind the Free State with an 88.4% pass rate.

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Makhura says they need to know what is happening in the lower grades.

“Grade 1, 3 and 6; so when we release matric results every year, we want the people of our province to know, how are schools doing in the lower grades and how are we turning around, supporting the learning and teaching in those grades. A lot of learners, who often get lost on the system, are in those earlier phases as well, but we also want to introduce technology in there.”

Lesufi says he is going to shut down independent schools that are under performing. He says some of them obtained below 20% pass rate in the 2019 matric pass rate, and government cannot continue to support them financially.

Lesufi says there will also be serious interventions in regards to under-performing public schools.

“We’ve already taken a decision; we’re going to close them down. Remember, independent schools are supposed to supplement public schools. So, if they’re not doing well, we have to cut the subsidy because we can’t subsidise a school that is not doing well. So, the less than 41 that the premier referred to, the public schools, we’re going to do an overhaul, from the SGB, the teachers that were responsible for performance, and the screening of learners. It simply means that it’s compulsory to have Saturday schools, winter schools and they must attend the camps.”