The Western Cape’s Department of Education has announced a significant improvement in student attendance after the conclusion of the eight-day taxi strike.
MEC David Maynier emphasised that the strike had disrupted an entire week of teaching and learning, causing 852 000 students and 17 700 staff members to be absent at the height of the strike last week.
Also read: Minister of education eager to get schools back on track following strike
In an update on Tuesday, Maynier revealed that 1 074 649 students, constituting 89% of the total student body, had returned to school.
Additionally, 52 271 staff members, equivalent to 93% of the school workforce, resumed their duties this week.
Maynier expressed his satisfaction with the rise in student attendance but acknowledged that it still fell slightly short of the desired norm of around 92%.
‘While we are pleased with the increase in learner attendance, they are still a little short of normal levels, which should be closer to 92%. Now that the minibus taxi strike is over, we appeal to parents to please work with us and ensure that their children go back to school. We need our learners back in class so that we can work on getting them back on track,’ he said.
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As the minibus taxi strike came to an end, Maynier took the opportunity to appeal to parents, urging them to collaborate with educational institutions to ensure their children’s return to school. He stressed the importance of having students back in classrooms so that efforts to get them back on track academically can proceed.
Dismissing rumours of a renewed taxi strike, Maynier highlighted the challenge posed by false information circulating about school closures and potential threats to educational facilities. He noted that, due to misinformation regarding the resumption of the taxi strike, some concerned parents had collected their children from school prematurely on Monday.
‘Unfortunately, we are once again battling fake news regarding school closings and threats to schools. As a result of false claims about the resumption of the minibus taxi strike, which circulated on Monday, concerned parents at some schools collected their children early,’ Maynier said.
Maynier called upon the public to exercise caution and refrain from sharing unverified news.
The Department of Education remains committed to restoring normalcy to the education system after the disruption caused by the taxi strike.
Maynier encouraged parents, students and the community at large to collaborate in ensuring a smooth return to regular schooling activities.
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