It’s that time of the year again when the spotlight is on the Department of Basic Education.
With parents excited over their little one’s milestone of their first day at school, others are praying for the best as their children begin high school and their little ones aren’t so little any more.
The only language frequent in many homes across the City of Coal is stationery, uniforms, and extra-murals.
The reality is that some parents however are still waiting for admission responses from schools.
This has become a yearly struggle in eMalahleni where many children miss the first important January weeks of school due to a lack of admissions.
Camping outside the circuit offices has also been a trend that has later escalated to ongoing protests as parents of grades one and eight miss work to stand in long queues at the circuit offices hoping to get a letter of admission for their children.
In February 2024, over 100 parents slammed the Department of Education they spent three weeks waiting for their children to be placed.
They accused the district office of dragging their feet whilst they were waiting for answers from the department as to where learners would be placed.
The admission period in eMalahleni has also caused racial tensions among schools and parents, with parents accusing some schools of prioritising white learners over black.
In 2023 this led to the closure of some schools over protests that even went as far as having political parties getting involved.
In 2024 the MEC for Education, Cathy Dlamini, met with the circuit managers from across Mpumalanga.
In an exclusive interview with WITBANK NEWS, the MEC confirmed that her department is ready for the 2025 academic year.
“Emalahleni and Steve Tshwete Local Municipalities are pressure areas regarding school admissions due to urban migration,” Dlamini confessed.
Another area of concern for parents is of course the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill.
In September 2024 the cabinet welcomed the signing of the Bela Bill. In a statement, the office of the presidency shared that the bill was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, marking a significant step toward transforming and enhancing the nation’s basic education system.
“President Ramaphosa publicly signed the Bill during a signing ceremony held at the Union Buildings, in Tshwane. The Bela Act amends sections of the South African Schools Act of 1996 (SASA) and the Employment of Educators Act of 1998 (EEA) to account for developments in the education landscape since the enactment of the original legislation,” the statement read.
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Zita Goldswain
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