POLOKWANE – Plans are afoot to improve the standard of public education in Limpopo under the province’s new political administration, following the recent election.

In an interview with Polokwane Observer last Wednesday, Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, expressed her commitment to helping learners excel from the early stages of their education through to Gr 12.

Lerule-Ramakhanya announced that by the end of September, the department aims to have made progress in establishing a hotline dedicated to handling enquiries and grievances.

This hotline will accommodate anonymous calls, aiming to improve administrative efficiency.

Currently, thousands of such calls are processed through hotlines in the president’s and premier’s offices or via physical reports, often leading to delays, she said.

Last week, the MEC visited Capricorn District administrative offices to assess staff capacity and identify both concerns and successes.

She noted significant progress among the top 30 learners in the district, with several achieving marks above 90% in the last term.

Lerule-Ramakhanya attributed this success to recent systematic changes, including the introduction of peer-to-peer learning among learners in Polokwane, which has proven more effective than in other areas.

To further enhance learning outcomes, the department has decided to mix schools during the final Gr 12 camps, allowing learners from nearby schools to share tips and techniques.

“Previously, schools would camp independently before final examinations, but this new approach is expected to yield better results.”

Reflecting on her first 100 days in office since being reappointed after the election, Lerule-Ramakhanya emphasised the importance of focusing on the foundation phase of education.

“In the seventh administration, we’ve concluded that school starts in Grade RR. This will shape the type of skills we produce in this province for the future.”

The department is also working on adopting a unified curriculum at Early Childhood Development levels to ensure that learners receive the relevant education needed for primary school.

The MEC, however, expressed concern that incorporating law enforcement in schools has not deterred criminal activity among learners, and schools remain vulnerable to business robberies and break-ins.

Last Tuesday, digital devices worth thousands of rand were stolen from Nirvana Primary School by a group of armed men who held security officers hostage.

The MEC noted that the criminals appear to be highly organised, often targeting valuable items such as digital devices.

She went on to criticise parents who enrol their children in unregistered schools which continued to operate even after being shut down by the department.

“It is ultimately the responsibility of parents to verify the school’s EMIS number with the department and to ensure that the teachers are qualified,” she urged.

Meanwhile, registration for the next academic year closed on July 31. Any last-minute requests for admission should best be avoided, she urged, saying these disrupt the placement process.

She confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to start the long-awaited construction of a new school in Bendor.