MEC meets stakeholders to address issues affecting Mpumalanga education for 2023

On a quest to conduct an analysis on the 2022 academic results and to prepare for 2023, the MEC for education, Bonakele Majuba, hosted a stakeholders’ consultative meeting at The Capital Mbombela on Thursday February 9.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the results of all the grades and the learner performance improvement plan for the academic year.

“This will enable us to take stock of the previous year’s examination results as well as their implications for the year ahead. We also thought it prudent to look at how 2023 has commenced, at the milestones, so that we may build on going forward, as well as impediments that seek to divert our attention from reaching the desired objectives and goals. We need to try and forge a collective effort towards mobilising our communities in continuing to support all efforts aimed at advancing the quality of teaching and learning in the province.”

Majuba said the department is facing some constraints.

“Insufficient funds and budget cuts affect the implementation of some of our key programmes.”

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According to him, education’s budget is an 80%/20% split – more than 80% goes to salaries and the remaining 20% must cater for the rest of the programmes.

“This impacts heavily on the resource provisioning, including stationery, textbooks, furniture, and improvement of infrastructure and so on.”

Princess Mashinini, provincial co-ordinator of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas), said she is pleased with what was discussed during the meeting.

“We are happy that the MEC addressed the issues we are facing as Cosas: overcrowding in schools and scholar transport. We look forward to working with him to make sure that we build a better future for these children.”

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Mduduzi Mogane, representing the South African Principals’ Association, said, “As principals, we are motivated because the issues we had in the beginning of 2023 were addressed. We did not start the year on the right foot, although most of the issues we had were addressed. We are positive that this year we will achieve above an 83% pass rate – this is the target for 2023. They addressed the shortage of stationery and there is a plan to deal with that. The issues we had with teachers’ placements will be addressed as soon as possible.”
Mogane said they are motivated and positive about the academic year.