SCHOOL STARTS: Grade 1 orientation took place at Summerwood Primary yesterday, a day before the new school year starts, with eager little faces lining the corridors at the school in Summerstrand. In front are Zachary Peo, left, Mtha France and Sage Cole, all six, answering questions after reading a story. Picture: EUGENE COETZEE
IT is all systems go for schools in Nelson Mandela Bay, with stationery and support materials already delivered and teachers encouraged to start teaching from today.
But while most schools have announced their readiness for the new year, teaching is expected to be disrupted at some schools where parents are still desperately trying to place their children.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle and Education MEC Mandla Makupula have chosen to start their back-to-school inspections in the Bay and will be visiting a string of schools today with mayor Danny Jordaan.
Alexander Road High School principal Dr Peter Manser said parents had arrived at the school on Monday and yesterday wanting to enrol their children.
“Unfortunately, we are absolutely full,” he said.
Manser said stationery had already arrived at the Newton Park school and teaching would start immediately.
“We had our orientation day for the new Grade 8s, who all arrived with their new uniforms and shiny eyes.
“Everyone is excited to get the new year started,” he said.
Ethembeni Enrichment Centre in North End, which achieved a 100% pass rate last year, said the school had already received all its stationery and pupil support materials.
Principal Elbe Malherbe said: “We are ready to go. We have been experiencing some requests from parents for space, but our cut-off date has passed.
“We expect everything to go smoothly and teaching will start in the first period.”
Parkside Primary School in the city’s northern areas said it was also ready to welcome pupils for the new school year today.
“We do expect late registrations and parents coming to look for space as this happens every year,” school secretary Jeffarene Mack said.
“We will have to look at the situation and see how many pupils will be returning and if we have any space to accommodate more pupils.”
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki confirmed that Jordaan would be visiting various schools in the metro today as part of the municipality’s own inspection.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said parents who had not yet secured a place for their child at a school should visit the district office.
“We encourage these parents to go straight to the office as we have established admissions teams who will be able to tell parents which schools still have space available,” he said.
“Instead of going from school to school, they should go straight to the district office.”
He said the department was satisfied that all stationery deliveries had been completed before the new school year started.
“There are still some textbook deliveries outstanding, but these are additional orders and should be delivered before the end of the month.”
The Eastern Cape’s legislature portfolio committee on education will also visit schools, starting today.
The committee will focus on issues such as the provision of Learner Teacher Support Materials and teacher provisioning.
The availability of pupil transport and school nutrition for qualifying pupils and the state of school infrastructure will also form part of the focus.
Committee chairman Fundile Gade said: “This programme will give us an opportunity to evaluate the turnaround plan of the department . . . We will also have to look at the curriculum diversification offered by schools, whether it is in line with key policy choices made by the province.”
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