Dept moves to assist learners during strike

The Gauteng department of education said on Wednesday that it will implement study groups to continue learning during the public sector strike.

Schools are expected to be worse hit by the indefinite strike which started on Wednesday with SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) members vowing to stay away from schools till their demands are met. Unions on Tuesday rejected the State’s 7% salary increase and R700 housing allowance offer, with their members demanding an 8,6% increase with a housing allowance of R1000.

“Under these conditions, the best way to learn is to establish voluntary study groups where learners can help each other go through past papers and study notes,” said provincial minister for education Barbara Crecy at a media briefing in Johannesburg.

Creecy said the department had printed 40 000 sets of study material to use.

The department is also distributing self explanatory guidelines on how to set up study groups.

The department is appealing for parents, community members and community organisations to volunteer their time to lead the study groups and assist learners.

“What we are trying to do is have a decentralised approach that emphasises community involvement”

Meanwhile, the Western Cape provincial education minister, Donald Grant, urged schoolchildren not to stay away from school.

“Our ...

objective is to ensure that learners continue to read, write and calculate. We urge parents to ensure that their children bring extra learning materials to school,” said Grant.

Examples of such learning materials include library books, textbooks, crosswords and past examination papers.

“The department will, wherever possible, provide teaching alternatives and will ensure that as many resources are directed to our Grade 12 learners, who have 55 days to go till their first practical NSC [national senior certificate] examinations.”

Grant said the provincial department would do everything in its power to ensure that learners were safe.—Sapa