A total of 1049 schools in the Eastern Cape do not have proper toilet facilities, according to Education MEC Mandla Makhupula's reply to a DA parliamentary question in the provincial legislature. This is a human rights violation on an unprecedented scale, with an estimated 260 000 Eastern Cape children attending school each day without proper sanitation facilities. The DA wrote to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) this morning calling for a province-wide investigation into sanitation at … [Read more...] about 1049 Eastern Cape schools without proper toilets
edmund van vuuren
310 EC schools close because many are run into the ground
Today the DA visited Ilungelo Public School in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth, one of the 310 schools gazetted for closure this year by the Eastern Cape government. Less than a tenth of this number of schools were closed in the Western Cape, but for very different reasons. Where the DA governs, we focus on quality education with a goal of zero under-performing schools by 2014. Hypocritically, the ANC has attacked us for relocating learners to better schools in a small number of cases where … [Read more...] about 310 EC schools close because many are run into the ground
459 Early Childhood Development Practitioners not paid
The Democratic Alliance has learnt with much trepidation that 459 Early Childhood Development (Grade R) Practitioners have not received their salaries (Stipends) for April 2013. This information has come to our attention through visits to our Democratic Alliance Head Office, by delegates representing disgruntled Early Childhood Development Practitioners, that some of their colleagues within the Eastern Cape have not received their salaries on the 20th of April. These Early Childhood … [Read more...] about 459 Early Childhood Development Practitioners not paid
Schools must not fail to participate in centralised procurement of textbooks
Schools that rely on the state to supply them with textbooks must take advantage of the Eastern Cape Department of Education's call for registration for the Centralised Procurement of Textbooks 2014, as advertised in today's provincial newspapers. The DA welcomes and supports the department's pro-active efforts to get schools listed for textbook procurement for next year so far in advance. I believe that the centralisation of textbook procurement has major benefit for schools with regard … [Read more...] about Schools must not fail to participate in centralised procurement of textbooks
EC teacher crisis remains as Minister withdraws
Over 8000 teacher vacancies remain even as the Basic Education Department announces its withdrawal from the province. It is clear that the national intervention by Minister Angie Motshekga failed to deal with this central problem in Eastern Cape education. The main driver of the vacancy crisis is SADTU's opposition to the reassignment of 6 800 teachers in excess at their current schools to classrooms where they are needed most. Neither the national Eastern Cape Departments have shown … [Read more...] about EC teacher crisis remains as Minister withdraws
Filling of legislature vacancy
The DA in the Eastern Cape was rocked by the loss of one of its senior public representatives in the legislature, when Pine Pienaar (MPL) succumbed to cancer earlier last month. The vacancy that has arisen as a result of Pine Pienaar's passing will be filled by Eastern Cape, DA Provincial Leader, Athol Trollip who will return from parliament to the provincial legislature. Athol Trollip has elected to return to the province till the end of this term of office, in order to lead the … [Read more...] about Filling of legislature vacancy
Open letter to the Premier: Please act against teacher shortages
I feel compelled to write to you, Madam Premier, because it has become very clear that the closure of schools by parents due to teacher shortages is a trend that is spreading throughout the province like wildfire. The situation is clearly beyond the control of the Eastern Cape Department of Education, which has so far done little to address the issue of excess teachers who refuse to move to schools where they are needed. Schools where fed-up parents are forcing closures is no longer … [Read more...] about Open letter to the Premier: Please act against teacher shortages
Temporary teachers again without pay
The Department of Education must come clean about whether it has run out of money and is playing for time until after the end of the financial year on 28 February before it pays temporary teachers in 19 out of the 23 districts in the province. A total of 2 202 temporary teachers were appointed until the end of March, of which only those in four districts have been paid. The department has crafted the excuse that the Treasury is not authorising payment because "documents that were requested … [Read more...] about Temporary teachers again without pay
Legal action against teachers will take too long
The DA welcomes the Eastern Cape Department of Education's announcement that it will take action against teachers who are refusing to be transferred from their current schools where they are in excess. The Department announced today that it had instructed its labour section to start disciplinary procedures against such educators. This time-consuming approach will not work however. In the meantime our children will continue to suffer poor education because of cramped up conditions and … [Read more...] about Legal action against teachers will take too long
EC teacher crisis – more funding will be unwise
The Eastern Cape Department of Education's decision to seek additional funding from the Treasury to appoint more teachers instead of redeploying current excess teachers will not bring an end to the education crisis in the province. It will be truly unwise of the Treasury to agree to this funding request, because the department will simply not sort out its staffing issues. An announcement whether the department's request is granted will be made on Thursday, 14 February. This is yet another … [Read more...] about EC teacher crisis – more funding will be unwise
Six teachers approved for 617 PE District vacancies
Just six temporary teachers have so far had their contracts renewed by the Eastern Cape Education Department for the entire Port Elizabeth education district. This is despite the PE district being the province's largest, with 617 vacant teaching posts. The number of vacancies is made worse by the fact that SADTU is blocking the re-assignment of 239 teachers who are in excess at their current schools. According to an internal departmental document dated 9 January 2013, PE district had the … [Read more...] about Six teachers approved for 617 PE District vacancies
Stop pay-cheques for EC teachers on 1 February
Eastern Cape teachers who refuse to be transferred to schools with staff shortages by 1 February 2013 should have their pay-cheques stopped. There are currently 5343 staff from principal to teacher level who are in excess at their current schools and need to be transferred. Pupils in the poorest schools in the Eastern Cape are suffering with very few teachers because SADTU continues to oppose the transfer of teachers. In a letter to MEC Mandla Makhupula this morning, the DA welcomed the … [Read more...] about Stop pay-cheques for EC teachers on 1 February
Eastern Cape still has worst matric pass rate
The Eastern Cape remains the worst performer with a matric pass rate of 61.6 % for 2012. The Democratic Alliance welcomes the 3.5 % improvement in the provincial 2012 matric pass rate of 61.6%. However the province has yet again failed – as in 2011 – to not be the worst performing province in the country. The national pass rate for the Class of 2012 is 73.9 %. In 2011 the Eastern Cape was the worst-performing province with a pass rate of 58.1%. Parents in the Eastern Cape are choosing … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape still has worst matric pass rate
Education Department falsely advertises 3 650 teaching posts
The Eastern Cape Education Department has falsely advertised the availability of 3 650 teaching posts. The Department actually intends to cut 3 932 teachers from the system in 2013. The false information was published in a Departmental bulletin issued on 30 September. MEC Mandla Makhupula has already conceded that the Department has no intention of filling the 3 650 posts advertised. He was responding to DA questions in the legislature's education committee on Tuesday. The DA calls on … [Read more...] about Education Department falsely advertises 3 650 teaching posts
Mixed reaction to 60 820 teaching posts for 2013
The Democratic Alliance is pleased, although not entirely satisfied with the announcement of only 60 820 teaching posts for the 2013 acadmic year. This represents a cut of 3 932 teaching posts. We are glad that the penalty of R1,6 billion that was to be imposed by the Provincial Treasury for the costing of 6 715 teachers in excess, as alluded to by the Department of Education at a meeting held with the Portfolio Committee of Education on 18 September 2012 did not materialise. The imposing of … [Read more...] about Mixed reaction to 60 820 teaching posts for 2013
