Help for parents of Gauteng school kids

2011-01-09 21:45

Johannesburg - Gauteng's department of education is to distribute 250 000 parental support booklets to school children and their families over the next few days.

"(The booklet) is aimed at helping Gauteng families play a more active role in supporting their children's education," said MEC Barbara Creecy.

"For our education system to succeed, three important partners have to work together: the educator, learners and parents/family members."

Parents at Diepsloot Combined School and Reshomile Primary School attended an induction workshop on Sunday morning to discuss their role in the education of their children.

These workshops would be conducted in all the 790 under-performing primary schools in the province, Creecy said.

She said the department had been working hard to ensure that schools were ready for this year's opening day on Wednesday.

"This weekend parents and communities have been mobilised throughout the province to help ensure schools are ready for the first day.

"Tasks include cutting grass, cleaning windows and toilets, as well as painting.

"The MEC and the head department have led teams of senior managers to participate in this process".

On Wednesday the Gauteng Provincial Executive Council would be visiting various schools in the province to check if they are ready for the start of the academic year.

"The institutional readiness indicators include admission, provisioning such as filling vacant teacher and educator posts, Learner/Teacher Support Materials, furniture, infrastructure facilities; scholar transport and nutrition among others," Creecy said.

- SAPA