LIMPOPO – ACTING MEC, Jerry Ndou, encouraged private businesses to invest in education as much as possible.
Ndou was speaking during the Greater Letaba Mayoral Excellence Awards ceremony held at Sekgosese Secondary School last Friday.
He said his department would focus on building 34 schools in the province this year, and would welcome any assistance from the private sector.
He said one of the schools in Mopani which had been prioritised was Mamaila Primary School, which collapsed few years ago.
Ndou added that over the next few weeks, he would embark on a roadshow where he would address newly-elected school governing bodies.
He further commented the gr. 12 learners for achieving better results last year and in so doing putting Mopani on the map. He concluded by calling on people to stop xenophobic attacks as foreigners were fellow Africans.
According to education Mopani district senior manager, Dr Lydia Mafenya, there were 80 secondary schools in Mopani and 19 of these schools had not performed well last year.She said of a total of 3 849 learners who wrote matric in 2014 only 2 808 (72,9%) passed. “We are worried and this needs very close attention,” Mafenya said.
The learners were awarded in different categories. Phosa Malaika from Modubatse Secondary School in the Rakwadu circuit scooped several awards after she received a 97% pass in gr. 12 last year.
Mashao Secondary School from Ga-Ntata village in the Modjadji circuit was honoured as one of the most improved matric result schools after they went from a 42,6% pass rate to 87,6%.