yusuf cassim

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape is calling on EC Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, to intervene and personally oversee and monitor the work of the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape MEC for Education, Fundile Gade, continues to fail the learners of the province and is incapable of implementing measures to ensure that they receive a quality education in a safe and conducive environment. The Premier needs to intervene to ensure the safety of … [Read more...] about Premier must personally oversee and monitor faltering Education Department

Dear MyPE The MEC of Education, Fundile Gade, and his Department must be summoned before the Education Portfolio Committee to answer questions regarding the contract with Sizwe Africa IT Group, after showing blatant contempt for portfolio members during a sitting yesterday. I have never before witnessed such contempt from a member of the executive, who has chosen to rather act unconstitutionally and break his oath of office than simply answer questions regarding a contract that he has … [Read more...] about Gade ducks and dives questions on controversial R160 million Sizwe Africa contract

Dear MyPE It is simply unacceptable that the Department of Education does not care that the lives of primary school learners at Fort Beaufort Primary School are placed at risk. Children on their way to school have been threatened at knife point, residents use the school grounds as a shortcut and cattle graze on the school sports fields because the school’s perimeter fencing has been vandalised and stolen. The lack of fencing has also led to the school premises being burgled and … [Read more...] about Department’s inaction placing lives of Fort Beaufort learners at risk

Dear MyPe The appalling state of sanitation facilities at schools in the Eastern Cape show how little regard the Department of Education has for the learners under its care. The current implementation rate to address backlogs in eradicating pit latrines means that three generations of learners will never know the dignity of proper sanitation facilities. Rather than taking drastic steps to eradicate the pit latrines at schools, Education MEC Fundile Gade would rather accuse parents of … [Read more...] about 36 More Years of Pit Latrines

Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape government has turned its back on the learners of Louis Rex Primary School in Komani, who have to attend class in appalling conditions. The DA will now be raising the school’s plight in parliament and will also engage with the national department of basic education, as no child should have to go to school under such appalling conditions. Today, 12 February 2020, I was accompanied by Désirée van der Walt, MP, the DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, … [Read more...] about Fight on to save crumbling Louis Rex Primary

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be calling on the Eastern Cape Department of Education to do a full investigation into why construction work at the Rufane Donkin Primary School in Gelvandale, Port Elizabeth is still incomplete and its request for additional classrooms have been ignored. Today I conducted an oversight inspection at the school as part of the DA’s School Readiness Programme. When we arrived at the school at 07:00 parents and learners had locked the gates to … [Read more...] about Rufane Donkin Primary construction project still incomplete

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance will be calling for a full forensic investigation into the construction of new classrooms and school hall at the Jubilee Park Primary School in Uitenhage. Today I, along with shadow MEC for Public Works, Vicky Knoetze, and shadow MEC for transport, Marshall von Buchenroder, conducted oversight at the school as part of the DA’s School Readiness Programme. What we have seen here today is simply unacceptable! This school was earmarked to be upgraded … [Read more...] about Calls for full forensic investigation into Jubilee Park Primary construction

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape wishes all teachers and learners well for the 2020 school year. We hope that you will continue building on the success achieved by the Class of 2019, who improved on the matric pass rate in the province from 70,6% in 2018 to 76,5% in 2019. The number of bachelor's passes also increased from 27,4% to 32,3% in 2019. Education is a passport to a new, brighter future. We are excited for the children who are beginning this journey and … [Read more...] about Best Wishes to Teachers and Learners for 20Plenty

Dear MyPE Unemployed youth, that are appropriately qualified in Maths, Science and Languages, could assist with a tutoring programme in the Eastern Cape, along the same lines as in the Western Cape. These tutors would provide much needed assistance by helping schools battling with teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms. These youths could also provide valuable additional tutorage to learners in the Eastern Cape, thus improving on overall learner performance and reducing drop … [Read more...] about Unemployed youth could help overburdened teachers

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the precautionary suspension of the Education Department’s Chief Financial Officer, Jason O’Hara, following allegations of administrative misconduct. However, the Education Portfolio Committee can no longer be kept in the dark on this matter. O’Hara’s suspension follows the arrest of an Education Official last week, who is alleged to have stolen money from the School Nutrition Programme. The DA understands that the suspension is by no means … [Read more...] about Criminal elements in Education Department must be rooted out

Dear MyPE The Education Department seems intent on misleading the Legislature and avoid being held to account, by submitting blatant untruths in response to parliamentary questions. Today it has become apparent that the Department has once again submitted untruths to the House. Earlier this year I was contacted by a disgruntled parent pleading for assistance in obtaining her son’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) which has been outstanding since he wrote his NSC examinations in … [Read more...] about Education Department continues to mislead Legislature with impunity