The Western Cape Minister of Education, Helen Zille, announced a "new deal" for rural schools at a press briefing today (Tuesday, 13 November, 2001).

This follows a process of intensive consultation in rural areas across the Western Cape.

The process included a series of workshops in recent weeks in Morreesburg (covering the West Coast), Ceres (Koue Bokkeveld), Worcester (Overberg), and Oudtshoorn (Southern Cape and Karoo).

Following these consultations, the WCED will introduce a range of measures to improve the quality of education in rural areas next year.

The measures include allocating more teaching posts to small rural primary and high schools to improve pupil/teacher ratios and subject choices, and to reduce the need for multigrade classes.

"Good quality schooling is essential for rural development," Ms Zille said. "It is therefore important that we maintain quality primary schooling, and at least one quality high school in each rural town."

"In the past, apartheid shaped rural education, resulting in inequities and inefficiencies. This plan represents the clearest break with the apartheid past," she said.

"Because apartheid encouraged separate education for all race groups, learners were often bussed to school from their homes, or had to walk long distances, or had to live in hostels. Over time, this pattern became entrenched. This is both inequitable and extremely expensive."

"The new system will be based on the principle of all children attending schools as close as possible to their homes. We are committed to excellence and equity, and we will allocate substantial resources to rural education to make sure that we get both of these right," Ms Zille said.

"We are looking specifically at supporting schools that make the break with the past."

Key elements of the plan include:

• Improving teacher allocations to rural schools significantly;
• Increasing funding for rural schools for infrastructure and learner support materials;
• Redesigning the bus transport scheme to reduce walking distances between homes and schools, particularly where learners could be at risk;
• A major improvement plan for schools with multigrade classes; and
• Finalising existing improvement plans at rural schools.

Improved teacher ratios

Small rural primary schools

Ms Zille said that the WCED would improve post provisioning at small rural primary schools considerably from January 2002.

Special measures would include:

• Providing a second post when a school has 35 learners (an improvement on 45 at present);
• A third post at 75 (98 at present);
• A fourth post at 115 (137 at present);
• A sixth post at 205 (215 at present);
• A seventh post at 250 (254 at present).

In addition, the WCED will allocate learning support personnel to clusters of multigrade schools, to ensure sufficient support for core learning areas; and will provide funds for equipment and communication facilities at multigrade schools, including internet access.

New provisioning scales for administrative staff will allow for administrative posts for schools with more than 200 learners, and grants for administration to schools with fewer than 200 learners.

Rural high schools

Ms Zille said that every rural town should have a high school of quality, and that local children should be encouraged to attend local high schools. To achieve these objectives, the department plans to:

• Phase out learner transport schemes where they have been used to transport learners from towns that already have a high school with sufficient accommodation for the learners.
• Relocate personnel to schools requiring additional staff, where phasing out of transport schemes has led to an increase in learners numbers at particular schools, and to meet special curriculum needs of a school.
• Appoint additional staff, should curriculum needs justify this, for example, Further Education and Training courses.

The department will continue working with different communities to encourage them to make decisions affecting the educational needs and interests of all learners in these communities, possibly through local education forums.

"I am pleased to mention that this process has resulted in success stories of local communities getting to know one another as they work out solutions for education," Ms Zille said.

"We are looking at ways of rewarding schools and communities that have integrated education successfully. These could include increased allocations for running expenses, an allocation of textbooks where learner enrolment had increased significantly, and more posts."

Meanwhile, the WCED will apply the following post provisioning scale to small rural high schools in 2002:

• These schools will have a minimum of six posts;
• A seventh post will be allocated for schools with 195 learners (215 at present);
• An eighth post for 234 learners (248 at present); and
• A ninth post for 273 learners (281 at present).

Curriculum

The WCED is investigating ways of ensuring that the curriculum meets the needs of learners in rural areas.

Examples include a curriculum for learners at schools attended by large numbers of children suffering from foetal alcohol syndrome, who would benefit from joining schools of skills, or from basic academic subjects combined with career-orientated subjects, possibly linked to career opportunities in the vicinity of the school.

The department is also encouraging certain primary schools, for example, those with more than 300 learners, to expand the number of grades covered by the school, to Grade 9 if necessary.

Where the total number of learners in two neighbouring schools is less than or equal to the capacity of the larger school, the WCED will consider their amalgamation.

Language of choice

A major aspect of the plan is to improve access to language of choice in rural schools through parallel medium schooling.

"Feedback from rural communities has shown that there is great demand for more English and Xhosa medium instruction," Ms Zille said. "The department is looking at introducing parallel medium classes, which will require allocating additional teaching posts and resources."

School readiness

The WCED intends offering programmes for parents in poor rural communities to assist them in preparing their children for school. The department will evaluate school entrants properly to assess requirements for further skills development.

Learner transport

Learner transport schemes are being closely audited to ensure that they meet the WCED’s requirements. Learners may only use the schemes if they attend their nearest, suitable school. Transport is intended for learners attending school from outside a village. Learners can also apply to use the transport where it is dangerous to walk to school.

In the past, learners in rural areas had to live more than five kilometres from their schools to qualify for bus transport. Where possible, the department will reduce this distance in to three kilometres in 2002. Priority will be given to routes where learner safety is a special concern.

Hostels

WCED hostels are currently managed according to an economic management system. Hostel bursaries are awarded according to need, in line with the income of parents or guardians. The WCED will consider boarding or transport bursaries where learners must board privately or have to use independent transport where these cannot be arranged by the department.

Finalising existing plans

The department is working with the provincial administration on improving the infrastructure of rural schools. Three years ago, about 70 rural schools had no flush toilets or running water. Only 16 schools are now in this position. About 95 000 learners in rural areas did not have electricity. This figure has been reduced to 25 000 learners. The remaining shortfalls will be addressed during 2002.