Midrand Parliamentary Constituency Office visits local schools to assess readiness for 2025

As part of the Government’s school readiness programme, delegates from the Midrand Parliamentary Constituency Office (PCO) recently visited local schools to assess their preparedness for the 2025 academic year.

The visits aimed to evaluate key areas, including school infrastructure, ablution facilities, early childhood development sites, and the distribution of essential study materials, and nutrition programmes, among others.

The team visited Mayibuye Primary School, Kaalfontein Secondary School, Allanridge Combined School, and Kanana Primary School to gain a comprehensive understanding of readiness across different educational settings.

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Led by Member of Parliament Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Member of Provincial Legislature Ntombi Mekgwe, along with zonal secretary Mapula Dease and zonal chairperson Lesibana Lamola, the PCO is dedicated to improving educational outcomes in the region.

The first visit occurred at Mayibuye Primary School on January 15, led by Ward 110 councillor Angie Mphaho and attended by Greater Midrand leaders and education stakeholders, although Ramokgopa and Mekgwe were unable to attend due to prior commitments.

Fieldworker Kaize Komane highlighted that the visit focused on assessing factors such as new registrations, the School Governing Body’s involvement, safety measures against bullying, and the state of infrastructure and furniture, along with identifying other challenges.

“Mayibuye principal Kgabo Rammutla shared the school’s challenges, noting an enrollment of about 1 800 learners, with projections rising to 2 000 from Grade R to Grade 7,” said Komane. “While the school possesses adequate infrastructure, there is a noticeable shortage of teaching staff.”

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Rammutla informed the delegation that they had applied for 13 temporary teacher positions within the district. These positions were previously held by contracted teachers who provided significant assistance over the last year.

After years of teaching in mobile classrooms, Rammutla and his team expressed satisfaction with their relocation to the new, state-of-the-art Mayibuye Primary School.

“A few final touches are still being carried out by the contractor to ensure that the school operates at full capacity, but it is fundamentally complete,” Komane added.

Moreover, the school is currently awaiting the installation of flushing toilets. It is also expecting to receive the School Nutrition Certificate from the education department, which would allow them to utilise their kitchen facilities instead of currently preparing meals for learners in a passageway.

On January 21, the PCO delegation visited Kaalfontein Secondary School, led by Mekgwe, councillor Priscilla Supe, community leaders, and MMC for Development Planning Eunice Mgcina.

This visit raised concerns about the school’s infrastructure, which, despite being the top-performing school in the area, lacks essential facilities like a laboratory and smart board access.

Acting principal Rivalani Makhubele has maintained impressive results over the past two years despite these challenges.

Mgcina emphasised the commitment to ensuring that all necessary resources are in place to support both learners and educators, stating: “Together, we can ensure that every child has access to quality education and the tools they need to succeed.”

The visits also included Kanana Primary School and Allanridge Combined School on January 22.

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