Sadtu in Mpumalanga says ongoing rolling blackouts have negative impact on winter classes programme

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) in Mpumalanga says the ongoing power load shedding has a negative impact on the winter classes programme.

The Mpumalanga Education Department established 135 centres for the programme which seeks to improve learner performance.

More than 24 000 Grade 12 learners are expected to attend the winter classes in the province. Teaching and learning continue, without serious challenges at different winter class centres, in the province.

The winter classes are compulsory for schools which were below 70% matric pass rate last year. Some learners believe that the winter classes would help them to improve their performance.

Matric 2021 I Mpumalanga l 2021 National Senior Certificate results announcement:

However, the continued power outages have disrupted their rhythm. Learners at the Sibhulo Secondary School had this to say.

“Our school last year underperformed with 51.8% and then winter classes are helping us to achieve better results this year. It is a great pleasures for the teachers who were hired to help us. We promise to perform better and get 100% as the school.”

Another learner had this to say, “Load shedding is affecting our studies and it is because the electricity return very late at night then I won’t be able to study.”

Sadtu secretary Walter Hlaise says the rolling blackouts have a negative impact on the programme.

“Well load shedding does have an impact and largely is affecting our capacity to make copies and things like accessing computers, so it is very difficult. But in relation to the classroom delivery or the curriculum the only aspect that we can speak about is that it becomes very dark in the class but we are soldering on despite this problem.”

Winter classes programme

The Education Department has set aside about R37-million for the winter classes programme. Head of the Education Department, Lucy Moyane, says the winter classes have proven to be effective in improving Grade 12 results over the years.

“We are encouraged that the investment of R37 million we have put in this programme to provide tuition, transport and feeding is bearing fruit. We want to invite all parents all community members to support this initiative of the department.”

Moyane also says they will soon launch an online learning programme.