Teacher training will not disrupt Gauteng schools this week despite the absence of thousands of teachers, provincial education minister Angie Motshekga said on Monday.
As many as 12 000 out of 49 000 teachers in the province will be out of the classroom to attend a workshop to prepare them for the new curriculum for grades 10 to 12, which comes into effect next year.
The training should have been conducted during recent school holidays.
”We have put in place alternative mechanisms to ensure that schooling is not disrupted during the absence of the 12 000 educators. I want to assure parents that important programmes will be running to enrich their children. I therefore urge parents to bring their children to our schools as usual,” said Motshekga.
She announced that Gauteng is now ready for the 2005 matric examinations.
The department launched a matric-pass recovery plan when its matric pass rate dropped to 76% last year.
The national Department of Education and Umalusi recently assessed systems in Gauteng and gave the province a stamp of approval to deliver a ”qualitative and credible examination”.
A record 79 237 matrics, up from last year’s 75 117, will write the exam at 504 centres.
Registration closes on September 30. — Sapa