The participation of Northern Cape learners in mathematics and science is a key area that requires urgent intervention and support, according to the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.
THE PARTICIPATION of Northern Cape learners in maths and science is a key area that requires urgent intervention and support, according to the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.
She, along with Deputy Minister Regina Mhaule, recently visited the Northern Cape as part of the ongoing National Listening and Learning Tour.
Gwarube emphasised that the tour aims to strengthen the relationship between the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and provincial departments while identifying where the DBE can assist at both district and provincial levels.
She highlighted the Northern Cape’s growing reputation as a hub for developing careers in science and mathematics.
“The Northern Cape is fast becoming a focal point, particularly in the development of science and technology, as we have seen with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and the high number of other renewable energy and mining companies in the Province,” Gwarube said.
“Education is a means to an end and the outcome is a learner that is well-rounded and who will be able to take a product and unlock economic opportunities for themselves. This Province is rich with these kinds of opportunities. The world’s focus on the Northern Cape means that the learners in this Province need to be equipped to go into those careers. We want to assist the Province with the uptake of mathematics and science and improve the education outcome.
“In terms of headcount, the Province may be small, but the opportunity does exist in the Province when it comes to being the conveyor belt for learners who are strong in mathematics and science.”
She acknowledged that although government departments are currently experiencing budget constraints, the Education Department needs find creative ways to meet its responsibilities.
“It is important not to view the budget cuts merely as the Education Department that has run out of money, but this is a challenge the entire country is facing. In order to fix it, we have to reprioritise our government spending.
“We have seen provinces battling with some of the functions they have to deliver. Some provinces have indicated that they can only retain their basket of posts, despite having more learners than the teachers they can cater for. These are some of the consequences of budget cuts – one is unable to expand the system as you would like because of the tight financial space you find yourself in.”
Gwarube assured those in the education sector that no jobs were on the line.
“No teacher will be retrenched. People keep making the mistake of believing that when provinces announce they are going to reduce or maintain their basket of posts, that means teachers losing their jobs. There are no talks to retrench any employee in the public service right now. However, we are in a financially difficult situation where we are not in a position to appoint more teachers to respond to the demand of learners as we are facing issues of overcrowding. We will not resolve those challenges if we are not hiring more educators and improving our infrastructure. That is the real impact of the budget cuts we are facing.”
She urged provinces to use their allocated budgets wisely.
“We have to be efficient with what we are allocated. While we are making a plea to the Treasury by stating we want to assist provinces that are battling, we have to get our house in order. We have to make sure that provinces are not sending money back to the Treasury because of under-expenditure. We have to ensure we also lead by example by cutting costs where necessary. We cannot on the one hand say we need assistance from the Treasury, while we are not being efficient with what we have,” Gwarube said.
Mhaule meanwhile pointed to plans for a mining school in the John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District as a step toward increasing participation in mathematics and science.
“This is a mining province and we are looking forward to establishing a mining school in the JTG District,” said Mhaule. “A mining school in this Province is a necessity. In May this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa, during a visit to the JTG district, launched a district development plan for JTG. The plan contains ideas on the establishment of a regional hospital, expanding the airport, and establishing a TVET college and a school of mining. The plan was approved and we are only awaiting the execution of that plan.
“The school of mining and the TVET require more in-depth planning. We need to plan the teacher intake for all the various professions in mining. The planning of the school will go hand-in-hand with the planning of the number of teachers that would need to be appointed.
“Also, the JTG Distinct has the second-highest number of learners in the Northern Cape and those learners have not been excelling academically. If such a large number of learners are not doing well with regard to their academic results, it brings the pass rate of the Province down. The establishment of a mining school will benefit local people greatly as they will be able to acquire jobs in the mining sector.”
The Northern Cape MEC for Education, Abraham Vosloo, conceded that the Province requires assistance with regard to improving its maths and science results and participation at schools, but added that the appropriate appointment of teachers in those fields is also required.
“Indeed, the Northern Cape has the lowest number of learners in terms of participation and performance in science and mathematics,” Vosloo pointed out. “We welcome the support from the national office, in particular with regard to strengthening the entire education system.
“Currently, we do not have enough teachers that teach mathematics and science. We need more teachers in those fields. We will also take the current team we have through refresher courses. If we want to up the numbers in mathematics and science, we will need more teachers. We would appreciate support in regard to that from the department. This assistance would ensure that districts are capacitated and put them in a position to provide much-needed support at school level.
“About 54% of renewable projects – solar, wind and hydrogen – are based in the Northern Cape. There are a huge amount of opportunities that come with these projects. However, our learners and youth in this Province need to have access to mathematics and science to be able to secure these opportunities.”
Vosloo added that he will make an announcement on the Province’s state of readiness for the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations today.
