The MEC for Social Development Ms. Barbara Barttlet embarked on a two schools visitation, as part of governments Back to School Campaign, which is meant to encourage and motivate learners, educators and parents as they steady themselves to negotiate the academic year ahead, in the Dikgatlong Sub-Region.
 
We understand as a government this exercise is especially important in that it shows how much we care, that we are indeed concerned about what is happening at our schools and that we want to see teachers, learners, and parents succeed as a family in the advancement and improvement of our education system.

In addressing the learners of Boresetse high school in Barkly-West, she emphasized that, as a government they want to see a situation whereby they all work together in ensuring that our children succeed in attaining the best possible results and setting the highest standards. The school attained a 45% pass rate, and she called on everyone to join hands in improving on those results this coming year.

Our simple hope and wish was that parents be there so that this be a collective effort from the very first day, as we all appreciate that the other expectation is that we are all responsible for not only for the wellbeing of our children as parents, but their academic success as well.

Most of the schools we have identified are based in your previously disadvantaged communities and continue to experience socio economic challenges. Based on our own community research most of the parents of the kids at these schools are unemployed and mainly live off social grants, but that does not stop the passion that these children have for education, so it becomes important that we be in the forefront of encouraging them to reach for their dreams.

"We view all our schools as centres of excellence and we must adhere to high morals, discipline and respect. These values must be inculcated by parents and legal guardians at home, which is the first institution of learning." - MEC Barbara Martha Bartlett addressing learners of the Boresetse High School in Mataleng on the school reopening day. Like a true chief social worker in the province that she is, MEC Bartlett left needy and deserving learners with school goodies and school uniform vouchers.

The MEC was accompanied by representatives from the South African Police Services, who spoke amongst others on the following social ills:

• Alcohol Abuse
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
• Drug Abuse
• Domestic Violence.

 

-By Tebogo Mokae