03 Jul 2019

 Teachers for reception classes have been urged to up their game and ensure effective teaching and learning if improved performance in schools was to be realised.

Addressing Legotlhwane Primary School teachers, Assistant Minister at Basic Education, Mr Thato Kwerepe said reception classes were a special programme introduced by government to identify talent from grassroot and ensure children socialise. He also called for a smooth implementation of the initiative.

Government, he said, introduced the programme to enhance education into a knowledge-based economy and ensure children became independent and survive through their talents to earn a living.

“This programme is not run like other normal classes as it admits children aged from 4 ½ years, and it insists that they be taught in their mother language to make them understand better,” he added. 

Mr Kwerepe revealed that government has employed teacher-aids to assist teachers in guiding pupils to choose the right programme because the programme was more like learning by exploring.

He said the programme was in line with government agenda to transform the country from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy, noting that the programme had six learning areas. He appreciated that although there were some constraints, classes designed for reception were in place.

Mr Kwerepe advised school management to reserve at least two blocks for reception class when construction of permanent structures commenced at the school. He underscored the need for schools to have resources needed to develop pupils.

Legotlhwane is a tented school that opened its doors in 2012. Since then the school had been doing well until 2015 when its performance plummeted. Last year the school scored 47 per cent pass rate in Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). 

Mr Kwerepe raised concern about poor results across the district, saying that teachers had to change the way they had been doing things.

He appreciated that teachers were faced with challenges, but stressed that they should improvise to deliver quality education despite the conditions they worked under. 

Teachers revealed that poor working relationships with parents and shortage of resources were some contributors to poor results.

They said most parents had no interest in their children’s education and always gave excuses when called for meetings.

They said they had explored all strategies to ensure effective learning and teaching, but that results were not coming forth. Some teachers made efforts to borrow books from neighbouring schools. Ends