The MEC for Education, Cathy Dlamini tabled her Policy and Budget Speech this on August 05in the Provincial Legislature.
She used the occasion to highlight the priorities for the current administration and to build from the solid foundation made over the years to advance the cause of the delivery of quality learning and teaching throughout the Province.
In this regard, she said “The Province has made serious strides to improve the conditions of teaching and learning for all learners from the Early Childhood Development Phase, Foundation Phase, Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Phase.
30 years into democracy, this province is able to showcase that more than 1 million learners are in schools learning irrespective of their race, colour, gender or creed in more than 1 600 schools, of which 87% are NO Fee Schools. To date, in this stunning Province, we are able to confirm without any fear of contradiction that 1 463 ECD centres cater for 69 172 Early Childhood Development Children in the 0 to 4 years old cohort,”
Dlamini added that to ensure that learners are well nourished and able to learn, 910 978 are provided with meals on a daily basis through the National School Nutrition Programme.
The Provincial Ephraim Mogale Bursary Scheme has, since 2019 provided at least 923 student beneficiaries.
This number adds up to a total of 1759 which includes students who furthered their studies outside the country.
“Having listened to the electorate in this financial year, the department intends to accelerate the improvement of school infrastructure, eradicate pit latrines, improve internet connectivity in 800 schools, procure and distribute laptops to all school principals of public ordinary schools, Improve learner performance in all grades and especially in the National Senior Certificate Examination Results,” she said.
“In addition to these focus schools, the Department will introduce Schools for Visual Performing Arts and Schools for Sports Excellency and Mining Schools.We must do this to ensure that our children are able to benefit from a variety of opportunities which are all over the world,”
Education has to respond to the needs of the economy and the people; the Department has established different focus areas. No one is being left behind.