I’m not happy that the Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, is acting as the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture. It started as a temporary measure, but now it looks permanent. The education role is demanding and needs Chiloane’s total attention. How does he balance his time between these demanding roles?
One school (consisting of 100 % black learners) in Krugersdorp was without water and electricity for almost a month. Learners were requested to stay at home until the matter was resolved. Only matriculants were allowed to go to school, under those
circumstances.
In Gauteng, many schools are overcrowded, for obvious reasons. Overcrowding impacts teaching and learning negatively. It also affects both educators and learners. Therefore, there is a desperate need for more classes and schools. But nothing suggests that more schools will be built any time soon.
Also, educators are under immense pressure to produce good results. However, the environment is not conducive for them to perform. How do you produce good results in a class of 60-80 learners? It is an unfair expectation for educators.
There is also a discipline problem in many public schools. Learners do as they please because they know there are no consequences for their actions.
The above mentioned challenges need the MEC for education to apply his mind on how to help solve them. But how is he going to do that if he is occupying two demanding positions at the same time? Gauteng premier, Panyaza Lesufi, should appoint a full time MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture to allow Chiloane to do his job.
Thabile Mange, Kagiso 2
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