NELSPRUIT – The department of education conceded this week that Tekwane South Secondary School would not be ready for operation at the beginning of the next school year.
Lowvelder recently reported on this. “The school has not been completed,” said Ms Reginah Mhaule, MEC for education, during a press conference held on Tuesday to discuss her department’s state of readiness for the 2014 school year. “It will be ready in 2014, but it may not be in January.”
She said the department was satisfied with the progress. They were also happy with the way the Gr 12 examinations have been going. “No serious glitches were reported,” she said.
The MEC added that no teaching posts would be added to the existing 32 637 in the province’s public schools because the learner numbers did not warrant it. The Mpumalanga Maths and Science Academy has been established to assist pupils. Mhaule explained that the academy would be located in eMalahleni (Witbank) and would serve four hubs in the province through radio links. Ultimately, 96 schools would be linked to the academy.
“The department has made a lot of progress to ensure that these schools have the required resources,” she said.
In addition, according to the department, all the textbooks purchased by the department have been delivered to schools. Mhaule said it had cost her department R329,2 million.
