Continued monitoring and support is necessary to aid underperforming schools, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said on Saturday.
North West provincial spokesperson Mxolisi Bomvana said the North West provincial minister of education’s decision to ”dismiss and redeploy principals” is not going to improve the quality of education in the province.
”Dismissing and redeploying principals is not a substitute for the sustained support and development work required to improve the quality of education in our schools.”
He said underperforming schools will benefit from monitoring and targeted support, ”not threats”.
Bomvana’s statement follows an announcement made by North West education provincial minister Reverend Tselapedi during his delivery of the province’s matric results on December 28.
In his speech, Tselapedi said the department needed to re-strategise as far as intervention at underperforming schools is concerned.
But Bomvana feels Tselapedi should support schools, not threaten the principals.
”He should work with all stakeholders to investigate the specific conditions in each failing school and to address these issues,” he said. — Sapa