Ngwako Modjadji
Richard Chauke wants to study information technology at university after completing matric this year. But it will be a mammoth task to realise his dream because his school has not yet received textbooks and other study materials.
With just two months before the start of final exams, Masedi Secondary School in the Northern Province is still without textbooks and stationery despite requests to the provincial Department of Education.
The school’s management says it is planning to approach Minister of Education Kader Asmal to ask him to intervene.
Managment says it has marched to the regional education offices on several occasions to demand textbooks, but its request fell on deaf ears.
Last Friday it delivered a memorandum to MEC for Education Joyce Mashamba, but she failed to respond.
Management claims it has not received textbooks for five years and this had led to the school performing dismally in examinations.
Management says Mashamba pro-mised to deliver the books in May but failed to keep her promise and no explanation was given.
A representative for the school governing body, Grace Mavhungu, accused the provincial department of not taking care of the welfare of the children.
“It is embarrassing because we have made thousands of requests for the requisition of books and now it is September and we still don’t have textbooks,” Mavhungu said.
Following last year’s dismal matric results in the Northern Province, the national Department of Education threatened to fire principals at schools that performed badly. However, it made no recommendations for action against departmental officials who fail to perform.
A representative for the provincial Department of Education, Freddy Greaver, said Masedi Secondary School submitted its requisition for books very late. He said there had been no coordination between the management of the school and the regional office and this has led to the lack of books at the school.