THE successful educating of children cannot be left to teachers alone.
That was the message delivered by the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Sihle Zikalala, during a schools monitoring visit to uMkhanyakude District on Wednesday.
Zikalala was part of a team comprising members of legislature and senior government officials dispatched to that district on the first day of the school year.
The visited Hambisanani Secondary, Idundubala Secondary and Thengani Primary schools to meet school management teams and also listened to their concerns and aspirations.
‘We are generally happy with the performance of this district, particularly at matric level where it has, over the past three years, continued to register commendable improvements in its pass rates.’This this district has managed to move from 62.9% in 2015 to a 77% pass rate in 2017,’ said Zikalala.
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However, Zikalala also voiced his concern regarding schools that didn’t do well in the matric examinations.
‘It is our obligation as the KZN government to provide necessary resources and aid to our schools, especially those with teething problems.
‘This includes the delivery of learning materials on time and the provision of infrastructure. But even our noblest efforts will amount to naught if we do not work closely with our communities,’ he said.
Zikalala also urged parents to take a keener interest in their children’s education.
‘It is disconcerting that in a school with 850 learners, teachers had complained that sometimes fewer than 50 parents turned up for meetings to discuss their children’s progress.
‘It is important as parents and the community in general to take a keen interest in our schools. We may transform them into citadels of excellence that produce quality results, not only at matric level but from elementary grades as well,’ he said.
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