CLOSURE OF ILLEGAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS 12 MAY 2021 Mbombela, today, the Mpumalanga Department of Education together with the South African Police Services closed down Everest College situated in the Mbombela Circuit, Ehlanzeni District. This closure comes after the Department learnt that the College was established, maintained and operated without being registered with the Department of Education. The operation of this so-called college is in violation of the South African Schools’ Act (SASA) Number 84 of 1996 as amended which clearly states that: "No person shall establish and maintain an independent school unless it is registered by the Head of Department.It further states that, any person who contravenes this, is guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period of up to three months." The Department thus advises parents of all affected children to apply for admission in the nearby schools and that they will be assisted accordingly. The Department will continue with this drive to close illegal Independent Schools throughout the week.…

The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule will tomorrow, Tuesday 11 May 2021 attend the official launch of the DSTV Netball Challenge, an inter- school’ competition in partnership with Netball South Africa (NSA), South African Schools Netball (SASN), MultiChoice and SuperSport.This extensive partnership will contribute immensely to the growth and development of girl learners while forming a critical component in the overall implementation of school sports programmes, particularly netball for young girl learners.Members of the Media are invited to attend the launch as follows:Date: Tomorrow, Tuesday 11 May 2021Time: 11h00Venue: Hoerskool Florida, 64 Louis Botha Drive, Florida Park, Roodepoort, JohannesburgISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION

30 APRIL 2021 MEC MAJUBA TO VISIT AND PROMOTE THE VODACOM e- LEARNING PLATFORMS AT  NDHLAMAKHOSI SECONDARY SCHOOL ON MONDAY  03 MAY 2021 In line with the 2021 school calendar, schools will reopen for the second quarter on 03 May and close on 09 July 2021 allowing 50 actual school days for teaching and learning programmes.  As part of the school re-opening programme, the MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba will visit Ndhlamakhosi Secondary School in Dwarsloop, Bushbuckridge Local Municipality to monitor proceedings and to ensure compliance to COVID-19 regulations.  The MEC visit to the school is scheduled to take place on Monday, 03 May 2021 from 08H00.  MEC Majuba will use the occasion to welcome back teachers, learners and non teaching staff after a well deserved school break.  He will be accompanied by the leadership of Vodacom who will in turn donate school bags to learners as well as promote their e-learning platforms.  Ndhlamakhosi Secondary School has 331 learners  and 12 educators, 16 classrooms and is one of the participating schools in the…

The Limpopo Department of Education is saddened by the tragic death of six learners from Jim Chavani Secondary School in the Vhembe East Education District. The learners were killed when a bakkie they had hitch hiked on their way back from school lost control and hit a house on Friday, 16 April 2021. The accident happened at Ximixoni village at Malamulele. The Department of Transport and Community Safety reports that the driver of the van was rushed to a local hospital in a critical state. Two other passengers sustained serious injuries while three managed to escape with minor injuries. MEC Boshielo expressed her sorrow upon hearing of the tragic accident and said: "We are deeply heartbroken and distraught. This is an unfathomable loss and one that is hard to comprehend given the circumstances that we are still mourning the heartbreaking loss of  Lufuno Mavhunga of Mbilwi Secondary School. For the families affected by this loss, the pain is too much to bear and we would like all of us to be united in this…

The North West Department of Education received with shock and total disgust, the news of the bullying of learner Lufuno Mavhunga who later took her own life. On behalf of the North West Department of Education and the entire schooling community, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Lufuno Mavhunga, the Limpopo Department of Education, MEC Polly Boshielo, your schools and the people of Limpopo Province. The MEC for Education in the North West, Ms. Mmaphefo Matsemela is deeply touched and troubled by the bullying incident which led to the unfortunate demise of a brilliant young mind, Lufuno Mavhunga, who still had her whole life ahead of her. MEC Matsemela strongly condemns incidents of violence and bullying, with the emphasis that bullying does not have a place in schools of the North West Province. The MEC has called on all learners who are suffering in silence to speak out. “I want to encourage all learners who silently experience bullying in any of our schools…

Teachers’ Safety and Security in South African Schools handbook was developed by the educators for educators. The handbook aims to bring to the fore, the plight educators face daily about their rights and safety being eroded, and their dignity and respect being compromised in the schools. Click the below link to download a copy. https://www.sace.org.za/assets/documents/uploads/sace_53049-2021-04-16-SACE_Handbook_aw-web.pdf HandsOffOurTeachers

The Gauteng MEC for Education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, today spoke strongly against recent acts of violence and ill-discipline by learners at Gauteng schools; further calling for swift investigations into the spike in issues of ill-discipline at schools in the province. MEC Lesufi’s condemnation of bad behavior by some learners at Gauteng schools follows several reports of violent acts by learners; some of which were captured on social media. “First of all, I need to make it abundantly clear that our schools can never be sites of violent conduct, assaults or bullying. Violence has no place at our schools and we call on school management to work with parents and the Department to ensure we bring these acts of ill-discipline and misconduct to a swift end,” MEC Lesufi said. In one incident, Today, 15 April 2021, a Grade 11 boy learner from Anchor Comprehensive allegedly stabbed a Grade 12 boy learner from Emadwaleni Secondary School in Orlando West. Reasons for the violent act are still unknown and a case has been opened…

The Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, will from tomorrow (Wednesday 14 April) conduct a two-day oversight visit to the Limpopo Province to assess progress being made through the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI).The Minister will also engage School Management Teams and School Governing Bodies of identified underperforming schools in the province.The Minister will visit six schools in the Capricorn and Mopani districts.Members of the Media are invited to attend the oversight visits as follows:Day 1 - BotlokwaDate: Wednesday, 14 April 2021Time: 09h00Venue: Makgato Secondary School, Ga Makgato, Seshego, LimpopoNB: The Minister will proceed to Botlokwa High School as well as Mamothibi Primary School following the visit to MakgatoDay 2 – TzaneenDate: Thursday, 15 April 2021Time: 08h00Venue: Charles Mathonsi Secondary School, Nkowankowa, TzaneenNB: The Minister will proceed to Progress Secondary School, Dududu Primary School following the visit to Charles Mathonsi Secondary School.ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION

MEDIA STATEMENT 13 April 2021 MEC BOSHIELO DISTURBED BY RECORDED INCIDENTS OF BULLYING AMONG LEARNERS  Limpopo MEC for Education, Polly Boshielo has noted with concern the increasing number of reported bullying incidents in our schools involving our learners.  The department was this morning alerted to a shocking video recording of a female grade 10 learner being slapped around at Mbilwi Secondary School, in the Vhembe East education district.  The incident took place yesterday, 12 April 2021. In the video Other learners can be heard in the background cheering the perpetrator, who is also a grade 10 female learner. The victimized learner is reported to have since passed away, however the cause of death is unknown. The department is awaiting a formal report on the cause from the relevant authorities. The department has also noted another recording of a physical altercation incident involving grade 12 female learners from Nthuba High School making rounds on social media last week Friday. Details of this incident have been requested from the school principal on and due disciplinary processes…

13 April 2021Good morning to all of you members of the media and thank you so much for gracing us with your presence to this media briefing.We have convened this briefing to communicate to the public the outcomes of two reports on matters that were also a subject of discussion in the public domain. At that time, we committed to the people of KwaZulu Natal that we will do thorough investigations and report back on the outcomes of such.ON HARRY GWALA MATRIC BOOT CAMPDuring the course of the Grade 12 Boot Camps last year, in preparation for Grade 12 NSC Examinations, disturbing photos of learners cramped in a tent with no masks and toilets that were overflowing with human waste emerged from one of the camps called Boniwe Rehabilitation Centre under Harry Gwala District.On the same day, the department ordered that the camp be closed down and learners moved to another suitable venue. I also directed that Head of Department institutes an investigation on the circumstances that led to the complete…