The Gauteng Provincial Government embarked on a back-to-school campaign on the 13 th of January 2010 as a drive to ensure that learning received top priority. The Gauteng MEC for Finance Mr Mandla Nkomfe, accompanied by officials from the Gauteng Departments of Finance and Education officially visited schools in the Soshanguve and Hammanskraal areas as part of this initiative to see to it that teaching and learning took place on the first day of school.
Communities were given a platform at the imbizo to engage with officials and had a chance to express all the challenges facing the schools in the area. Key issues such as dilapidated infrastructure, overcrowding and lack of access to information were given the necessary attention.
To cement their commitment to improving the education system, the provincial government has set aside R330 million to be used for school refurbishment. These funds will help build additional classrooms and stimulate job creation in an effort to rehabilitate the schools and other public infrastructure in the area.
Learners with financial constraints were encouraged to apply for bursaries through GCR Academy and where transport proved to be a challenge, the Department of Education urged disadvantaged schools to place an application for scholar transportation.
With the Gauteng Online project making headway since its inception in 2002, the vision of providing learners with quality education and building a globally competitive schooling system will be realized and many of the problems identified at the imbizo will be remedied through the project. This will enable e ach learner in the public schooling system to have access to internet and electronic mail; the laboratories will be used as delivery hubs for other government services. To maximize efficacy of the laboratories, educators will receive specialised training and will be taught how to utilize the facilities. These improvements would however not be complete without science and biology laboratories receiving centre focus as a measure to thwart the critical shortage of science based skills.
The MEC commended the Student Governing Body, Principals and the School Management Team for the good work and concerted effort put in to ensure success of the education system.
