Gauteng focusing on school drop-outs

2012-03-09 11:47

Johannesburg - The high number of drop-outs from Gauteng schools is the focus of an education indaba underway in Johannesburg on Friday.

Teachers, civic organisations and academics from across the country are meeting at Turffontein Racecourse for the Gauteng education department’s 4th monitoring and evaluation colloquium.

The meeting will discuss why children are leaving school or not finishing their education.

A list of recommendations and interventions will be drawn up after a series of presentations. If necessary policy changes will be recommended and further research recommended.

The education department said the drop-out rate for primary schools was increasing with the biggest impact felt at Grade 1 and Grade 7.

High school children were leaving in Grade 10 and 11.

Gauteng education MEC, Barbara Creecy, is to open the proceedings followed by Martin Gustafsson from Stellenbosch University who will speak on, “realities and a few myths regarding dropping out in South African schools”.

Later on Friday a number of education experts are to present a comparative study between the Eastern Cape and Gauteng followed by a profile of youth not at school in Gauteng and the social impact on those who drop out.

- SAPA