![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/112/2015/03/phumla-sekhonyane-Medium.jpg)
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) started with its Secondary School Improvement Programmes (SSIP) for Grade 12 pupils yesterday.
According to the department, thousands of pupils across the province attended the holiday classes that are set to last from March 26 to April 1.
Department spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said the SSIP is an intervention programme operating across all 15 GDE districts, involving about 450 priority schools that had underperformed in the provincial average last year.
These are schools that had obtained less than 84 percent pass rate in the National Senior Certificates.
“We have 68 000 Grade 12 pupils attending at about 164 sites and in addition to school holidays, we have tuition taking place on Saturdays.
“Pupils attend for maths, science, physical science, life sciences, accounting, geography and accounting,” Sekhonyane said.