Gauteng MEC for Finance, Barbara Creecy along with Rand West City Executive Mayor Mzi Khumalo paid two Mohlakeng schools a visit on the first day of the new school year.
The schools are Mohlakeng Primary School and Lukhanyo Secondary School. The visit was part of Gauteng Provincial Government’s Back to School programme aimed at assessing learning and teaching on the first day of school and said to be important as it sets the tone for effective schooling for the rest of the year. Both Creecy and Khumalo noted the infrastructural challenges at the schools and that academic intervention is required to improve the learners’ performance.
“We are honoured by the presence of the MEC and Mayor. We are trying our level best to create a conducive environment for learning and teaching,” said Herman Modise, principal of Mohlakeng Primary School, adding that the school’s ablution/ toilet facilities are not user-friendly for the young learners while the kitchen is another problem.
MEC Creecy was also concerned about the facilities at Mohlakeng Primary, specifically the administration facilities.
“Education remains government priority, that is why we insist that schools start teaching on the first day,” Creecy said.
She gave the good working relationship between the Department of Social Development and the Education Department the thumbs up for ensuring that learners from disadvantaged communities are being offered uniforms and school shoes.”
Lukhanyo principal, Itumeleng Mokoka said the challenges facing his school include not having a school hall, a school bus or sporting facilities, and that they need more educators. He added he was happy about the MEC visiting the school and briefly touched on the tragic event in 2012 – when Creecy was Education MEC – when a learner was stabbed in an occult worship related incident, emphasising that it did not happen on the school premises.
“We are proud that as a new school we have been doing well as far as the matric results are concerned over the past four years,” Mokoa said. The Class of 2017 secured a 83,3 per cent pass rate.
Gauteng West Education Director Oupa Koapeng went on to say the district remains among the best in the country and province, but one of the major challenges is the lack of English-medium schools.
Khumalo added that schools are situated in wards and it is therefore the responsibility of the municipality to address service delivery issues such as sewage and cleaning.
Khumalo and Creecy made a commitment that the Gauteng Provincial Government will assist with the installation of Wi-Fi services in all the schools they visited and mobilise business people to help meet the needs as indicated by all schools. They said that the needs will be prioritised and many will be addressed during the 2018 Mandela Day events.
Both principals also highlighted the need for less failing learners from Randfontein High School (RHS) being transferred to township schools.
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