Unions, WCED hope teaching assistants initiative is extended
By Sisonke Mlamla
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Cape Town - Discussions are under way by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to review and repackage the Presidential Youth Employment initiative, with a proposed second phase to start later this year.
DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the initial duration of the programme, which started in December last year, was four months, but it was extended by one month until the end of April 2021.
He said the basic education sector created employment opportunities for more than 320 000 education and general education assistants who were placed in schools around the country.
Four classrooms and a resource centre at a school went up in smoke on Sunday.
Two people have been arrested for arson and burglary.
The Eastern Cape education department said the damage amounted to R113 477.
Two individuals, one of which is a pupil, have been arrested by the Eastern Cape police for breaking into Wilson Mayekiso Junior Secondary School in Tsomo.
They stole food which was meant to feed learners, after which the school building was set alight.
The fire destroyed four classrooms and a resource centre.
The Eastern Cape education department said the damage caused by the fire amounted to R113 477.
Thousands of Gauteng girls left without pads as R83m budget for dignity packs goes to food parcels
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Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Social Developmentâs decision to reprioritise R83 million from dignity packs to food parcels during its special adjustment budget has reportedly left thousands of underprivileged school learners stranded.
The departmentâs reprioritised millions were directed to food parcels during its special adjustment budget for the 2020/21 financial year. This came as a result of the hard lockdown which had a devastating impact on a number of residents of Gauteng.
Last year, the department assured the public that pupils would still receive their supplies. The department said in quarter one 37 387 dignity packs were delivered to grades that were available in schools and more grades would be provided with dignity packs upon their return to school.
Schools that signed agreements with the Competition Commission heeded the commission’s call to root out anti-competitive practices on the pricing of school uniforms and the monopoly of supply.
“Since the conclusion of the settlement agreements in 2019, the commission has not received any complaints from parents or any other stakeholders against the parties with whom these agreements were concluded. This is in and of itself an indication that these parties are complying with the order,” said the commission spokesperson, Siyabulela Makunga.
Settlement agreements were concluded with the AdvTech Group, St Andrew’s School for Girls, Curro Schools and Inspired Schools, as well as the two largest manufacturers and suppliers of school uniforms, Grit Procurement and McCullagh & Bothwell.
Newly signed school uniforms memorandum to assist struggling families
By Sisonke Mlamla
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Cape Town - Hard-pressed families could soon be saving on school uniforms following the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at stopping schools from forcing parents to buy from exclusive suppliers.
The Competition Commission, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and four associations representing school governing bodies (SGBs) joined forces to strengthen regulation on the procurement of school uniforms and other learning-related goods and services.
The organisations signed the MoU on Monday, which culminated after years of investigations and advocacy, following complaints received from parents who were forced to buy school uniforms from exclusively selected suppliers.