On the first day of school, pupils should think about the whole year ahead, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor advised Free State children on Wednesday.
”The first essay for all learners at the beginning of a new school year should be about their aspirations for that year,” Pandor said in Bloemfontein.
”Essays about what happened during the holiday are boring. Let’s forget that and rather ask what you are going to do with your education.”
Thousand of pupils in inland provinces returned to their desks on Wednesday.
Pandor visited farm and rural schools in the Bloemfontein, Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo areas on Wednesday.
”You should take the 2005 school year seriously and do well,” she told a small group of pupils at the Samajan combined farm school outside Bloemfontein.
In 2004, the school had eight grade 12 pupils, who all passed.
Touring the school grounds, Pandor had questions about the condition of pit latrines used by the school.
”We must do everything possible to create an environment where a sense of dignity prevails,” Pandor told Free State education officials who accompanied her.
The acting head of the free State education department, Khoarai Khoarai, said farm schools in the province still need much attention.
”To be honest, everything is not 100% at all farm and rural schools in the Free State and hard work still needs to be done.”
Tommy Makhode, spokesperson for the national Department of Education, said part of the reason for the minister’s visit to rural schools was to highlight the plight of these schools.
He said the government tries to focus attention on needy areas.
Rural schools face many challenges, including poverty, evictions, funding and the distances pupils have to travel.
In 2004, Pandor appointed a ministerial committee on rural education to look at issues related to rural education and training.
A preliminary report has been submitted to the department.
Schools in coastal provinces will reopen on January 19. — Sapa