The school governing bodies (SGBs) in Alex have been challenged to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the township.
This was said at an education stakeholders’ meeting for Region E by Milton Buthelezi, chairperson of the national association of SGBs for greater Johannesburg, including Alex.
The township has the unenviable record of many years of poor matric passes. Three of its secondary schools performed badly last year and form part of several other provincial schools currently receiving extra support through the schools improvement programme. Despite this, an assessment by the district has revealed no major improvement in performance, raising concerns.
Buthelezi said many SGBs were unaware of their role and accountability in ensuring improvement in education.
“They lack the basic knowledge of their roles and statutory provisions which empower them to demand a school principal be accountable for progress in the delivery of the curriculum,” he said.
“Instead, at meetings, which not all attend or are late for, they only gossip about the principal and teachers. Others only engage on school matters to explore opportunities for their self-enrichment through funded school projects. This reflects their lack of interest and love of children’s education.”
He urged them to collaborate with school management more substantively in order to change Alex from being a dustbin of failed children.
Buthelezi also criticised the SGBs for not mobilising residents in developing a culture of learning.
“This is essential to help regenerate willpower and [develop children’s interest in] education and, to encourage them to be punctual and not to disrupt classes when coming late.”
The Regional E director of education, Mnyamezeli Ndevu urged SGBs to engage more constructively to ensure the delivery of quality education. This by the school employing qualified and specialist teachers, keeping schools clean, and paying their bills to avoid service disruptions. He also urged parents to improve communication rather than harass school staff when informed of their children’s ill discipline, ensure children’s punctuality and attendance until the last day of school term, contribute positively at parents’ meetings, and to register children in time at the beginning of the year.
“[The children of] those who delay in registering for 2016 will be replaced by children from outside Alex and miss out on the E Learning programme introduced by the province.” said Ndevu.
The programme will be in full swing at Bovet Primary and Alex High schools in Alex and also the nearby Lyndhurst and Sandown High schools.
