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KZN: Peggy Nkonyeni: Address by KZN MEC for Education, at the opening of Nsimbini Primary School, KZN (01/09/2015)

KZN: Peggy Nkonyeni: Address by KZN MEC for Education, at the opening of Nsimbini Primary School, KZN (01/09/2015)

4th September 2015

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  • KZN: Peggy Nkonyeni: Address by KZN MEC for Education, at the opening of Nsimbini Primary School, KZN (01/09/2015)
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Programme Director,
Interfaith representatives,
His Worship eThwekwini Mayor of: Cllr James Nxumalo,
All Councillors present,
Traditional Leadership,
Izinduna Zonke,
Senior Management of the Department of Education; Senior Management of the Sector Departments,
Leaders and Representatives of Organized Labour; Representatives of School Governing Bodies,
Our Social and Business Partners in Education,
Principal; Educators; Parents,
Members of the Media Fraternity,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Ngiyanibingelela nonke!

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Introduction

Program Director, Victor Hugo, a French poet and novelist once said “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.” This statement applies both to physical prison as well as mental prison. I stand here before you this morning with renewed hope for this community, our city, our Province, the country and the future of our children.

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Chapter 9 of the National Development Plan (NDP) states that “Education is the single most important investment any country can make is in its people. Education has intrinsic and instrumental value in creating societies that are better able to respond to the challenges of the 21 century”. As we gather here this morning as leaders whether in politics, education, society or otherwise we should be encouraged and indeed hopeful, that the opening or handing over of a school to the community is an indication of our government’s resolve in eradicating poverty and a dawn of a brighter future for our country.

John F Kennedy former president of the USA once said “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation” I stand before you today both as a political principal and a citizen of the province and this country to say to all of you there is hope for a better and brighter future. This ANC led government is determined to do all it takes that the systemic imbalances of the past are redressed in entirety.

Access to quality education to all

Program Director, The Freedom Chatter demands that the doors of culture and learning shall be opened. This demand is woven throughout strategic documents of both the ANC and government to ensure that this access to education and the quality becomes a reality. These strategic documents include among others the following:

    ANC manifestos
    Mangaung resolutions
    National Development Plan (NDP)
    Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP)

These documents identify specific priority areas of government geared at the transformation of our socio-economic conditions. President Jacob Zuma has declared education as an apex of these priorities of government. In demonstrating government seriousness and commitment to this declaration, this Department has been allocated just over R42b for this financial year. This is a significant amount considering where we come from. Together with the Department’s officials and other role players we will deliver quality education to all in an environment that holistically promotes and fosters a culture of learning and teaching.

We are ensuring that these resources are used responsibly and effectively to deliver on basic education fundamentals as reflected in our government’s various strategic policy documents, the Freedom Chatter, the National Development Plan etc. These fundamentals include among others, but not exclusively the following:

    Providing universal access to education opportunities to all learners
    Improving infrastructure
    Equalizing resource allocations to achieve parity
    Providing free education to learners from poor households through fee exemption and the no-fee policy
    Provide information and communication technology (ICT) facilities.
    Provide and expanding the nutrition program to all needy and indigent communities.
    Provide facilities for sports, school health, arts and culture.
    Provide facilities for teachers, principals, administrative staff etc.

As a government and through this KZN Department of Education we have already translated these fundamentals as enshrined in these documents into a reality. We are also conscious of the plight of our indigent communities that continues to pose as an impediment to the attainment of these fundamental rights. The following are a few examples of government’s delivery of these services:

Access to Free and Quality Education

The government of the ANC became the only government in the history of this country and Province to provide education for free to all indigent communities. No political party ever did that for you.

Free Stationary

All schools that are non-paying schools also receive stationery for free. This government understands that there are many in our societies that are less fortunate and cannot afford to buy food let alone stationery. This government now provides free stationery to all.

Quality School Nutrition Program

There are many learners in our communities whose parents cannot afford to buy them food. There are also child headed households in our societies. The ANC led government now provides free School Nutrition Program (SNP) at our schools. The emphasis is now on the quality of food provided as this has a direct bearing on the cognitive development of our learners.

Early childhood development

Program Director, the KZN Department of Education has made considerable progress towards reaching universal coverage by enrolling almost 98% of learners between the ages of 5 to 15 (compulsory school age) by 2014. The expansion of Grade R has reached universal access in the Province accessing nearly 240 000 learners. The focus in 2015/16 will be on the provision of quality education”.

Schools Procumbent and Maintance

Program Director, this department takes the procurement and maintenance of our schools very seriously. In the last five years we have built 88 brand new schools from scratch. We have thousands more that have either been:

  •     Refurbished
  •     Expanded
  •     Provided with Ablution blocks
  •     Provided with Laboratories
  •     Provided with Libraries etc

A big thank you goes to our social partners in the private sector, our sector departments and State Owned Enterprises to name a few whose contribution and partnership has enabled us to deliver on our promises. Without their participation these efforts would have had serious challenges. This department has initiated and implemented many infrastructure procurement and maintenance projects in the District.

 

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