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Two Schools in the rural areas of Lusikisiki beat all odds to achieve above 90% pass rate in the 2017 NSC Grade12 Examinations. Ben Mali Senior Secondary School in Luqoqweni village and Siwali Senior Secondary School in Mcobothini village are a living testament that success is not only reserved for a few, and certainly does choose a designated area.

These schools achieved what most would see as an unreachable dream for schools in deep rural villages. They have defied stereotypes and changed the narrative about our rural schooling in the Eastern Cape. Both these schools obtained a 94.82% pass respectively, with Ben Mali improving by 66% from 28.8 % in the previous year and Siwali improving from 75.3% in 2016. Their dedication and commitment saw both these schools skyrocket to higher heights and reaching the levels that were beyond expectations.

This achievement also saw SiwaliSenoirSecondary School occupying the number 1 spot in the OR Tambo District. 77 learners from this school sat for the 2017 NSC Matric Examinations, 73 passed and 4 obtained supplementaries.They recorded 37 Bachelor passes, 29 Diplomas and 7 Higher Certificates.

Speaking to Mr. Nyandu who is the Deputy Principal at Siwali SSS, he attributes this success to the support programmes offered by the Department, Discipline and constant interaction with parents. He also recognises and acknowledges the impact made by winter and spring schools as well as weekend and afternoon classes.

The ECDoE extends a word of appreciation to both the learners and teachers of these schools, for their dedication and commitment. In the midst of challenges experienced in our rural areas, they have been able to dig gold in its purest form.

Back To School Development Campaign

The Eastern Cape Education Department of Education (ECDoE) held a three-day Back to School Development Campaign at the Nelson Mandela District recently.

The campaign meant to evaluate school readiness for the 2018 year in the province and with greater efforts to motivate best performing schools to keep doing well whilst also encouraging the worst performing schools to lift up their standard and work harder to improve their results.

The ECDoE MEC, Mandla Makupula described theback to school Development Campaign initiativeas part of the provincial governmentto commend best performing schools, assess and trouble shoot where there is a dire need for help.  The three-day visit started at the Grey Boys High School in Port Elizabeth.  “ I decided to start the back to school campaign at Grey Boys High, even though many has the concept that schools like Grey High School does not have problems, they’re just perfect, just like any other South African schools it also have challenges,” said MEC Makupula.

The second school that the MEC and other ECDoE officials visited was the Newton Technical High School. The school’s acting principal, Ms Wilson said that, “the school is the Section 21 state-aided, co-educational, dual medium high school which caters for technically orientated learners”.The school offers opportunities for learners to qualify for tertiary education at universities and colleges, alsoto equip pupils with the necessary technical background and training to enter learnerships straight from school. The principal said the school challenges are vacancies like for example appointment of the Head of Department.  She requested the Department to assist them with appointment of teachers as the school has about seven vacancies.

On day two, MEC visited Astra Primary, where principal Desmond Lewis highlighted the non-payment of teachers and accommodating special needs pupils. Asked about schools having to accommodate special needs pupils, Makupula said: “There are only 45 special schools in the province, 13 of which are in Port Elizabeth. He said, “ We have asked these schools what we can do to assist.”

The next school was Rocklands Farm Combined school, where Principal Andile Mabele highlighted nutrition scheme food delivery and infrastructure have been the most challenges but besides that the school was running smoothly.

School principals are the cause of overcrowded classrooms as they enrol too many pupils without informing the Eastern Cape Education Department.This is according to Education MEC Mandla Makupula, who was speaking at Kuyga Primary School yesterday.The school was one of the three he visited along with a group of education officials.

Makupula said schools received their teacher allocation in September, before they open for the New Year.However, in some cases principals admitted pupils despite not having the necessary teachers to cater for them.“The post baskets for schools are declared in September based on numbers at the school at the time,” he said.“ The policy says regarding admissions your deviation can’t be more than 5% year on year.”“Everything is based on the numbers submitted the previous year – that’s the point the principals don’t say, they received post allocation but principals admit children in January anyway.

“By January, the resources have been allocated. Now that newly admitted child is an orphan with no transport, books etcetera, because that child was not budgeted for.”Asked whether principals should reject walk-in pupils, he said: “they must inform the department, they have an influx so that we can work together and tap into resources.”Kuyga Primary principal Wandile Dala said his school suffered from vandalism and crime.The school had been broken into during the holidays and four computers were stolen. He estimated the value of the goods at more than R10 000.