“They still have the belief that registration will happen on day one,” said Panyaza Lesufi, speaking for Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
Motshekga and her deputy, Enver Surty, paid surprise visits to two schools in Bela Bela, Limpopo, and were pleased with their state of readiness: textbooks were ready for distribution and they started proceedings on time, he said.
“We were quite impressed when we arrived that schooling started on the first minute,” said Lesufi.
There were, however, crowds of people arriving for the first time to get a place for their children.
“There was a sudden surge coming out of the deep rural areas to schools closer to town, and the numbers are still huge. There are almost 150 camping outside to get a place,” he said.
Other than that, all appeared to be going smoothly.
The department would help “rescue” schools which had not put in textbook orders in September, as was required.
For parents without money, Lesufi reiterated that schools were not allowed to refuse pupils entry because their parents had not paid fees.
“School must punish the parents not the learners,” he said.
Children must go into their classes and start learning and schools must deal with the parents separately.
Gauteng
Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane was pleased with what she saw at Cosmos Primary School, spokesperson Xoli Mgambi said.
She arrived around 6.15am and found that children were already arriving for their first day.
Mokonyane handed over uniforms intended for underprivileged children and later addressed the school’s assembly.
She then moved to Cosmos Secondary School for talks with its principal and the school governing body.
Her department said Gauteng had expected problems with late admissions for Grade 1 and Grade 8. Grade 1 admissions were affected by the growing numbers of Grade R classes in primary schools, which meant children were automatically registered for Grade 1, leaving few spaces for other pupils.
Late admissions were attributed in part to increased urbanisation, and to parents who preferred to send their children to schools outside townships.
“In some instances parents in their quest for what they perceive to be better quality education, insist on having their children placed in schools that have already reached their capacity,” the department of basic education said earlier.
North West
In North West, premier Thandi Modise issued a statement saying the improvement in last year’s matric results was heartening and should be further improved this year.
The province’s minister for human settlements, public safety and liaison, Desbo Mohono, would visit a number of schools in the Bloemhof and Taung areas to assess the extent of storm damage.
In some schools which did not have storage facilities, workbooks and textbooks ordered last year would be delivered by the end of January.
Mpumalanga
Teacher readiness in Mpumalanga was one of the key matters of concern to the department.
The province would receive first priority in the training of teachers. This was scheduled to take place before the end of the month.
Textbook deliveries and late admissions were also expected to dog Free State schools. — Sapa