Pretoria – Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says the department will this year implement the Secondary School Improvement Programme (SSIP) to provide additional support to Grade 12 learners in 460 township schools.
“This will provide supplementary tuition to approximately 73 000 Grade 12 learners at 168 SSIP sites across the province,” said the MEC.
He was briefing the media on progress made to improve the quality of learning and teaching.
The MEC said the current enrolment in public schools stands at 2 326 584 learners, which shows an increase of 64 265 learners from 2015 figures. He said all learners have now been placed in Gauteng schools. He said seven new schools were opened on day one of the 2016 academic year.
A total of 39 426 secondary school chairs and 40 620 desks were delivered. Primary schools received 76 571 chairs and 40 841 desks.
“Those in need of scholar transport had access to a bus and the school nutrition programme started on time. We grappled with the challenge of over 10 000 unplaced learners but can now report that all learners, especially Grade 1, are in the classroom,” he said.
The MEC said the department strives to ensure that all learners in the province have access to quality education in a system where all learners and schools are technology savvy and acquire the skills needed for success in the 21st century.
However, he said more than 100 smart boards have been stolen from schools since the installation of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) programme in the Grade 12 classrooms in 377 Schools in July 2015.
“Of these, 29 were stolen in Johannesburg Central, 20 in Tshwane South, 18 in Johannesburg North, 17 in Johannesburg South and 14 in Johannesburg West. More than 4 000 tablets are still with learners,” said the MEC.
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