About 1465 primary and secondary schools across the North West province are eagerly ready to start the 2017 academic year with teaching and learning immediately on the first day of the reopening of schools on Wednesday, 11 January 2017.
The North West Education and Sport Development department confidently opened gates of all schools on Monday, 09 January 2017 to welcome the teachers across the province. Educators on their first day dealt with class allocations, time tables, distribution of stationery, resource allocation, etc.
The department ensured that around November 2016, it embarked on the distribution of Learning, Teaching and Supply Material (LTSM)to all schools. Schools are continuously confirming their receipt of both stationery and textbooks.
The readiness programme started last year with a massive advocacy drive on Learner Registration campaign. Learner Registration advocacy started in May and concluded in September 2016. So far the department has registered almost 51658 Grade R learners who are going to start their schooling this year.
The department has prioritised those areas which were ravaged by overcrowding and storm damaged schools. Areas of Ditsobotla, Koster, Mamusa, Rustenburg, Ikageng, and many others have been identified as hotspot areas for overcrowding and the department has purchased mobile classrooms to relief them from overcrowding. Other areas will be receiving completed structures.
The North West Education and Sport Development, MEC Sello Lehari confirmed that the province was ready for the reopening of schools in the province.
“On behalf of the province I am confident to announce that the province is ready for the reopening of schools. I want to assure the parents that their children will be in safe hands, teaching and learning will start immediately on the first day. Textbooks and stationery has already been delivered to schools and time tables have been set. I therefore encourage all our learners, educators and departmental officials to work hard as from the beginning of the year in order for us to obtain good results at the end of the year”, said Lehari.
MEC Lehari together with Honourable Enver Surty, the Deputy Minister for the Department of Basic Education will visit Ramokoka Primary School at Ramokoka Village, Bojanala District.
