Wrapping up the School Functionality Monitoring Programme, the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature members descended on two schools in uMkhanyakude District - Makhana Primary and Mandla Mthethwa School of Excellence in Ndumo, under Jozini Local Municipality on 24 January 2025.
As part of the dignitaries, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, in her capacity as the MEC Champion for the District, serving as the ears and eyes of the Cabinet, took part in the deliberations and offered her insights and wisdom on how schools can be improved.
The school management teams of these institutions of learning raised a number of challenges, including infrastructure and resource shortages, budgetary constraints, learner transport, vacant critical posts, nutrition challenges, power and water shortages.
Members of the Legislature, playing an oversight role, demanded strict time-frames, specifics, and accountability from the authorities and officials charged with the responsibility of improving the situation.
However, a lot of positives were shared in a debriefing meeting held at Mandla Mthethwa School of Excellence. The Mandla Mthethwa School of Excellence obtained a 97.8% matric pass rate, surpassing the 2023 feat of 96.8%. Three of uMkhanyakude District schools, including the Mandla Mthethwa School of Excellence, were top achievers nationally. Just over half of the District's 541 schools obtained a 100 percent matric pass rate and only 11 schools got less than an 80 percent matric pass rate.
Part of the resolutions:
1. Inadequate School Nutrition Programme: It was noted that food was not enough for the pupils due to the fact that there's an increased number of learners without identity documents. Members of the Legislature resolved that Departments such as Education, Home Affairs and Social Development must work together to ensure that all learners have IDs or birth certificates.
2. Sporting facilities: The members have urged school management teams to collaborate with local municipalities and businesses to help build sports facilities.
3. Learner Transport: It was agreed that the Department of Education should provide learner transport to all indigent pupils to and from their schools.
4. Water: An attempt to eradicate pit toilets, the Department of Education has to address this and build ablution facilities.
