Millions of children head back to school
2013-01-16 10:08
Video
2013-01-09 12:07
Children at AB Xuma Primary school in Gauteng started the first day of the new school year on a happy note. Watch.WATCH
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Durban - Millions of schoolchildren returned to school in
KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday morning.
Traffic was backed up at several schools across Durban as
parents dropped off their children.
KwaZulu-Natal education department spokesperson Muzi
Mahlambi said there appeared to be fewer parents arriving on the first day of
school to register their children.
"There will no doubt be pockets of parents [arriving
late], but we had a massive campaign which [the media] helped to publicise. We
think that was effective," he said.
Mahlambi said education MEC Senzo Mchunu had visited Grantam
Park Primary School in Richards Bay, where he found teachers already teaching.
The MEC is expected to visit 30 schools during the next
three days.
Stationary shops busy
On Tuesday stationery shops across the province were busy as
parents made last-minute purchases of school books for their children.
At the Waltons Stationery branch in central Durban there
were two long queues of people buying school necessities.
KwaZulu-Natal regional sales manager Handelee van Zyl said
that the company's stores had "been absolutely hectic".
She expected a brisk trade for a few more days as parents
and students bought those items they had forgotten to purchase prior to the
start of school.
She said it was too early to say if business had been better
than in previous years, but she expected it to be similar to last year.
While there may have been children upset at leaving the comfort
of their parents, a few parents could be seen outside Durban's Parkside Primary
school looking slightly dazed at letting their young ones out into a whole new
world.
Last year there were some 2.8 million children enrolled in
schools operated by the KwaZulu-Natal education department. Mahlambi said the
department would be able to provide total enrolment figures in a week or two.
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- SAPA
