NELSPRUIT - Premier of the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille, paid a quick visit to the city on Saturday to address DA supporters on the education crisis in Mpumalanga, and on strategies the DA has been implementing with success in the province where she reigns.
Mpumalanga achieved a matric pass rate of only 47,9 per cent last year. Zille stressed that the province can only reap rewards from the DA’s plans, if the party is elected by the voters.
She was speaking at the DA Mpumalanga Education Seminar, which took place at Lowveld High.
The plan to turn around the Western Cape’s education system was formed after thorough consultation with advisers including education expert
Mr Clive Roos, who was also present on Saturday.
"Education is ranked only fifth on the state’s list of priorities. To me, it is challenge number one," she said and added that she wanted to achieve a matric pass rate of 80 per cent in the Western Cape this year.
"My plan is aimed at raising the standards in reading, writing and calculation; to recruit excellent teachers; to track learners’ performance and to turn around poorly performing schools."
Zille explained that the problem in the education system had to be diagnosed accurately. "We learned that some of the matrics had not received text books since the beginning of the year. The DA consequently bought and distributed 50 000 of these books in the province."
The party has also invested
R4 million in recruiting excellent teachers who will have to tutor their colleagues in poorly performing schools. Zille adds that she aims to have independent tests conducted on grade three, six and nine learners to check if their reading, writing and calculation are up to standard.
"We have informed schools achieving a pass rate of 80 per cent and more, that we will only visit them by request.
"We will rather  focus on poorly performing ones, ensuring that teachers are in their classes at least seven hours a day, getting through their syllabus."
She added that the Western Cape’s capacity will have to be increased. "We are discussing the possibility of building extra classrooms at our best performing schools, rather than building brand-new schools that will cost a fortune."
Drug and substance abuse have also been identified as hampering factors in scholastic performance. "Random testing will be introduced in schools," Zille added.
Mr Anthony Benadie, provincial DA leader, said that, although they could not govern the province’s education system unless they were chosen by the voters, they were focusing their resources on needy schools. "We are rendering support as basic as motivating teachers," he explained.