LIMPOPO – The Department of Education has been running a series of consultative meetings with fraternity stakeholders around the province about the closure and merging of certain schools.
Under the theme, ‘Education is a societal matter’, stakeholders of the Capricorn North and South education districts including union members, school governing bodies and teachers aired their views on whether they agree with the pending actions or not.
A report that was compiled earlier pointed to 64 schools in the Capricorn District which will probably be affected by either closures or mergers.
The names of these schools, however, have not been announced and are yet to be gazetted.
Departmental spokesperson Mike Maringa said this is also done to allow the smooth delivery and support of the curriculum and ensure that all affected stakeholders are onboard.
The initiative, led by Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya is prescribed by the South African Schools Act.
When a school has a declining rate of annual learner enrolment up to a certain level, it should close or be merged with a similar one.
“Fewer than 135 learners in primary schools and fewer than 200 in high schools call for a possible merge. However, when there is an extremely low rate of enrolment in a particular school, then it will be closed,” said Maringa.
He said a total of 407 schools have so far been rationalised for the sake of delivering the best quality education for all learners in the province.
