KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, recently commended the leadership of rural schools in Amajuba District on a smooth start to the academic year, despite being faced with numerous challenges.
Dr Dhlomo was among members of the KZN Legislature, who were deployed throughout the province to assess the readiness of different schools, as part of the Schools Functionality Monitoring Programme.
According to Legislature Speaker, Lydia Johnson, the programme is an effective tool to improve academic performance.
Throughout the programme, Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) were given an opportunity to engage with communities on how to improve education during stakeholder meetings.
During the visits, a number of elements were inspected, including whether schooling began on the prescribed day, delivery of stationery, availability of teaching staff and infrastructure.
MPLs were tasked with reporting their findings to MEC for Education, Neliswa Nkonyeni, who in turn, would make the necessary interventions.
Accompanied by officials from the Department of Education, Dr Dhlomo visited Slangrivier Primary School and Groenvlei Combined School, situated in Utrecht, as well as Siyawela High School in Ingogo, Newcastle.
With just 63 pupils, Slangrivier Primary School faced several challenges. Transport was cited as a serious problem, and many pupils had to walk long distances to and from school. As a result, the school built their own ‘accommodation’ from mud, which was deemed sub-standard.
The next stop was Groenvlei Combined School, where Dr Dhlomo was informed that some pupils had to walk up to 36 kilometres to school and back each day. However, the school’s lot had improved drastically after it took delivery of five buses, supplied by the Department of Health.
Dr Dhlomo commended the principals of the schools for ensuring teaching continued, regardless of the circumstances.
“It is quite heart-warming to listen to the principals of the most rural schools thanking government for the provision of scholar transport. This programme has improved pupil performance by decreasing absenteeism and late coming. We are very happy about that,” he concluded.
