Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape wishes all teachers and learners well for the 2015 school year. Teachers return to school tomorrow and learners will be in class on Wednesday. We hope that you will continue building on the success achieved by the Class of 2014, who improved on the matric pass rate in the province from 64.9% in 2013 to 65.4% in 2014. Education is the ticket out of the poverty trap. Of concern is the quality of our education and low numbers of children … [Read more...] about Best wishes for teachers and learners ahead of new school year
edmund van vuuren
EC matric pass rate of 65.4% an improvement, not an achievement
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape congratulates all 43 777 successful matriculants out of a total of 66 935 that sat for the National SC examination for 2014. The province’s overall pass mark of 65.4% is an improvement on the 64.9% achieved in the previous year. This improvement of 0.5 % is encouraging although not enough to be seen as an achievement. The Eastern Cape is still one of two provinces under the 70% radar, and once again last in the class while other … [Read more...] about EC matric pass rate of 65.4% an improvement, not an achievement
EC matrics won’t reach 70% pass rate target
Dear MyPE The test for the department of the Basic Education will be the quality of the matric results, which will be announced by Minister Angie Motshekga tonight. The provincial target of a 70% pass rate for the Eastern Cape was commendable but, sadly, taking circumstances into account, this will not be achieved. The DA believes that the Eastern Cape's class of 2014 could have achieved a pass rate of 70% if teachers had implemented learner programmes efficiently and if the Department of … [Read more...] about EC matrics won’t reach 70% pass rate target
MEC for Education challenged to respond to long overdue questions
Dear MyPE I have submitted a number of questions to the MEC for Education, Mandla Makapula, which have not yet been answered. At the beginning of November, over thirty responses were still outstanding. Some have exceeded the two week deadline which was put in place to ensure that the questions are answered timeously. In the House sitting which took place on 21 November, 26 of my unanswered written questions were converted to oral questions so the MEC had to give oral responses to these … [Read more...] about MEC for Education challenged to respond to long overdue questions
DA lays negligence charge against the EC Department of Education
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance is outraged by the vandalism of Gqebera High School which cost R40 million to build. This loss constitutes wasteful and fruitless expenditure. The DA has laid a charge of negligence against the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape. Over the past two months, the school has been vandalised; all that is left is the concrete structure of the building. Taxpayer's money has been wasted and the Department is responsible for running this school into the … [Read more...] about DA lays negligence charge against the EC Department of Education
No money for AET teacher benefits
Dear MyPE Teachers employed by the Eastern Cape Department of Education's programme for Adult Education and Training (AET) have, since 2009, been working for more than a third less of what they should be paid. I have been reliably informed that the department has made a unilateral decision not to pay AET-teachers an agreed-upon 37% compensation-fee in lieu of benefits that these teachers do not qualify for because they are not permanently employed. If this department can cut back on … [Read more...] about No money for AET teacher benefits
Good Luck Matrics with your final exams
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance would like to wish all the Matrics of 2014 in the Eastern Cape well as they embark on their final exams which begin in a few days. We wish them success and believe that they will represent the Eastern Cape well. There have been numerous demotivating situations that some of these pupils have been faced with this year, including: Those that have had severe teacher shortages within their schools which often meant that many classrooms were … [Read more...] about Good Luck Matrics with your final exams
Red flag must be raised over new legislature catering contractor
Dear MyPE A red flag must be raised over the Bhisho legislature's new catering contract with Viwe Vasi's company "Above and Beyond". Ms Vazi is among the accused who are alleged to have benefitted from funds that had been paid by Buffalo City Metro for Mandela-memorial services. It is astonishing that a service provider can be appointed despite them facing charges of money laundering and fraud. This is compounded by the chequered history that the Vazi-family has had with state institutions … [Read more...] about Red flag must be raised over new legislature catering contractor
EC Schools will not have a teacher in each classroom
Dear MyPE The DA is disappointed with the declaration by education MEC Mandla Makupula this morning that the post provisioning for 2015 will remain the same as in 2014, with no new additional posts for the introduction of an African language, which forms part of the declaration. With no extra posts allocated, it means that schools in the Eastern Cape will in 2015 again fall short of having a teacher in each classroom. According to the declaration there will be 55 796 posts for educators … [Read more...] about EC Schools will not have a teacher in each classroom
Numbers must not be cut for 2015 teacher post provisioning
Dear MyPE Eastern Cape education MEC Mandla Makupula must consider the outcry from schools that more teachers are needed when tomorrow he releases the teacher post provisioning for 2015. Teacher numbers must not be cut. We hope that he will be proactive in his pronouncements that he will secure a teacher for every classroom. Despite the department's claims of the reduction in learner numbers in the province, the turmoil experienced this year in our schools is an indication that the … [Read more...] about Numbers must not be cut for 2015 teacher post provisioning
Education MEC has no plan for Afrikaans speaking teacher shortage
Dear MyPE Eastern Cape MEC for Education Mandla Makupula has no plan to solve the shortage of Afrikaans speaking teachers for schools in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth. I was most disappointed with the MECs weak response during an interview last night on Fokus on SABC 3, where he was given the platform to explain his department's solutions to the ongoing education crisis in the Eastern Cape. He has no plan, nor solutions for the Northern Areas, where learners are predominantly … [Read more...] about Education MEC has no plan for Afrikaans speaking teacher shortage
Eastern Cape violated constitutional rights of learners
Dear MyPE The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has found that the Eastern Cape Departments of Education and Transport have violated the constitutional right to basic education by failing to provide learners with transport to and from school. The report was compiled following the DA's complaint last year. We visited the Zweledinga Senior Secondary School in Queenstown and walked over 12 km with learners, who do not have access to scholar transport. Some children in the Eastern … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape violated constitutional rights of learners
SADTU prevents education portfolio committee from doing school visits
Dear MyPE This past Tuesday members of the legislature's Portfolio Committee on Education were again prevented from doing site visits at schools in the Sterkspruit education district by members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu). Anarchy is prevalent in this district and learners are being used as canon-fodder by union members to fight their battle with the Eastern Cape Department of Education. Principals and staff at schools were intimidated and threatened to the … [Read more...] about SADTU prevents education portfolio committee from doing school visits
MEC challenged to implement solutions to mounting education crisis
Dear MyPE Parents are watching the future of their children dissolve in front of their eyes and they are taking to the streets in a desperate appeal to the Department of Education to hear their plight. On Monday, 25 August some 40 schools in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth embarked on mass action which includes the closure of these schools by parents. These desperate acts are not limited to the metro, it has been happening throughout the province. On behalf of the DA, I once again … [Read more...] about MEC challenged to implement solutions to mounting education crisis
Alleged Pankie Sizani ghost teacher posts an example of how little ANC cares for education
Dear MyPE The DA will be watching the outcome of the court case against Pankie Sizani for allegedly creating ghost teacher posts. If convicted, no mercy must be shown to her or her high-raking husband, Stone Sizani, who is a former education MEC and who currently serves as chief whip of the ANC in parliament. This case, which has been dragging on since 2011, is a diabolical example of how little the ANC cares for education. This case will be a real test for the ANC to act against their … [Read more...] about Alleged Pankie Sizani ghost teacher posts an example of how little ANC cares for education
