Education Minister Naledi Pandor has appointed a Ministerial Committee that would examine the issue of how to retain learners at schools.
This is meant to help the education department pinpoint the reasons why learners drop out of school.
The committee comprises high-powered experts and its main task would be to ‘provide definitive information” on learner retention rates from grade 1 to 12.
In addition, the committee would also look at ‘the methodologies used to determine these” as well as ‘advise the minister on what causes learners to drop out of school and what steps can be taken to prevent or limit this”.
The committee is expected to ‘undertake empirical research” to sample schools and also invite ‘submissions and inputs” from other interested educational institutions and individuals.
Gugu Nyanda, an independent analyst, would chair the committee. Other members include Sarah Howie, Charles Simkins, Sizwe Mabuzela, Jairo Arrow and Servaas van den Berg.