Boosting the Provinces pass rate with one good deed at a time

The MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure Ntombovuyo Nkopane visited four (4) schools as part of government’s Back to School Campaign. The purpose of the visits was to encourage and motivate learners, educators and parents as they ready themselves for the academic year ahead. Three (3) of the schools were in Alfred Nzo Region and one (1) in OR Tambo Region.

MEC Nkopane said this comes as an understanding by the Eastern Cape Government that education is a societal matter and all should get involved to prepare for an effective teaching and learning process. Part of the MEC’s visit was to look at the school infrastructure to ensure its suitability for both teachers and leaners. She was accompanied by the Regional Directors and technicians responsible for building infrastructure in the department. The MEC gave school uniform, shoes, soccer and netball kits, stationery as well as sanitary material to learners.

The identified schools are from disadvantaged communities and continue to experience socio economic challenges. Based on the departments own community research, most of the parents of the learners in these schools are unemployed. Some learners are from child-headed households and mainly live off social grants, but that does not stop the passion that these children have for education.

Two (2) of the schools visited were high schools. In her keynote address the MEC encouraged grade 12 learners to work hard and improve their ways of learning in order to get good marks for tertiary entry.

“There are also bursaries in place for learners who have passed their matric, which are coming from the department. We want to see a situation whereby all parents work together in ensuring that our children succeed in attaining the best possible results and setting the highest standards” added the MEC.

The Alfred Nzo regional management has since started assessing the schools, and will be assisting with renovations that will be implemented by Public Works and Infrastructure team from the region.