Plans to merge schools on track
THE department of education has completed the merging of 61 out of 301 schools in the province that had low learner enrolment.
LIMPOPO – THE department of education has completed the merging of 61 out of 301 schools in the province that had low learner enrolment.
This was announced by the department’s director of communication, Dr Naledzani Rasila, last Thursday.
Rasila said the department had taken the decision to merge schools with low learner enrolment with the aim of making teaching and learning more effective and efficient.
“These are the schools with such a low number of learners that they are rendered dysfunctional.
“The department is also finalising the process of completing and utilising new circuit offices.
“The process is awaiting finalisation due to a legal wrangle between the government and some contractors,” he said.
“Schools are no longer regarded as just another structure but have to be productive and function like business units, where the input is akin to the output they provide.
“The schools with low learner environments offer complete curriculums while the teacher and learners’ ratio fails to cater for the fruitful learning and teaching.
“They are the schools where fewer teachers are expected to offer complete curriculum streams to a few learners, at times just 50.
“These schools are not viable and are not of benefit to the learners and the communities they serve,” he said.
Rasila further explained that the merger of public schools was done in terms of the South African Schools Act.
He said the affected communities attended workshops where they were guided in the merger process.
Where there was a need, transport was provided for the learners to the merger centres, he added.
Acting education MEC Jerry Ndou said the merger process was running smoothly albeit with a few challenges.
Some traditional leaders do not want to release learners to go to the merger centres in neighbouring villages as they felt that their village should still have a school regardless of viability.
Some 25 schools had refused the merger, according to the departmental January 2015 merger report, and the department continued to engage these communities.
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