The re is a project of Saturday extra lessons that has been introduced in Lekoa/ Vaal by the department of education aimed at improving the performance of grades 10 to 12 mathematics and science learners. It is an important project, but there are a few things that I do not understand. Firstly, only the best performing schools have been selected to be part of the programme. In other words, schools that do not urgently need extra classes are the ones getting them. Secondly, learners who take general and commerce subjects are not given extra lessons even though they also need them. Thirdly, the programme is using teachers that are already employed and not the thousands of unemployed educators who need jobs. Fourthly, some of the learners are feeling bored and do not find the extra classes useful because they only revise class work and homework. Lastly, it has been alleged by some learners that there is a plan to extend the programme so that it runs on Sundays as well. This will deprive learners of being active in social movements, of going to church and to soccer games. It seems it is only educators that will benefit because they will be getting extra pay. Learners are not getting extra learning.
David Lukhele is a member of the of the Anti-Privatisation Forum and of a drama group in Lekoa / Vaal, Small Farms
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