"We understand the frustration of the local community," was the response of provincial education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani to the plight of pupils affected by drastic teacher cuts.
"We understand the frustration of the local community," was the response of provincial education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani to the plight of pupils affected by drastic teacher cuts.
Schools around the province have been struggling to begin the new school year without their full complement of teachers, after the department ended the contracts of all temporary teachers.
On 28 January Grocott's Mail reported that the department had explained it was conducting an audit of all schools in the province and, based on this, would allocate teachers.
An emailed response from Pulumani on Thursday acknowledged the frustration of schools, and the community, and promised the problems would be addressed soon. "The audit was finalised last week [Friday, January 28]. Yesterday [Wednesday, Feb 2] MEC [for the department]presented a report and recommendations to [the provincial]cabinet," Pulumani wrote.
"We are hopeful that those recommendations [contained in the report]will be adopted so that we can move speedily to remedy the plight of schools like Mary Waters High School. "As the Head of Department's statement of the 18th January 2011 [says], we are extremely concerned by the dire situation that currently faces the department, especially our schools.
"In that statement HoD implored all our officials both at head office and the district offices to offer whatever assistance possible to schools that have been adversely affected by the termination of temp teacher contracts. "We understand the frustration of the local community. We assure them that the department is working very hard to find urgent solutions to the schools' plight."
