Statement by Cameron Dugmore, MEC for Education in the Western Cape

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been involved in a process of consultation with various teacher unions on the second phase of the WCED's Recovery Plan, and will now proceed with implementation from next week.

We acknowledge from the outset that we cannot hope to make up for all the time lost during the recent public service strike. However, our plan is intended to focus on crucial aspects of the curriculum that have been affected by the strike.

It must also be acknowledged that not all schools were equally affected by the strike. The second phase of the Recovery Plan, therefore, is applicable only to those 460 primary and high schools where no teaching and learning was possible for a continuous period of 10 days or more during the strike.

Phase two of the Recovery Plan will cover the period 30 July - 21 September 2007 and will include additional teaching hours for all grades, as well as Saturday classes and a Spring School for Grade 12 learners.

The affected schools will receive guidelines on the content of the additional classes for grades 10, 11 and 12. Urban schools will be clustered and rural schools should be site-based.

The WCED study guides sent to Grades 10, 11 and 12 learners contain excellent material, which could be used to prepare learners for studying and they contain checklists in a number of subjects, which should be used to determine what content still needs to be covered.

The second phase of the Recovery Plan is voluntary for both learners and teachers, in line with agreements between the Department of Education and unions at a national level.

The national formula in respect of stipends will be applied for all these interventions, including Saturday classes. We have also agreed to provide our teachers who participate in the Saturday and Spring programmes with a transport allowance, and also to pay the stipend to caretakers who will have to be present during these programmes.

The unions on the task team have requested additional information concerning the stipend, which we have now provided. I am hoping that all teacher unions will support the second phase of the Recovery Plan, which will begin from next week.

We cannot afford to delay the implementation of the second phase of the Recovery Plan anymore. As a department we have a responsibility particularly to those learners from the schools most affected by the industrial action.

We remain open to further engagements with the unions and I hope that they will work with us in the interest of our learners.

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi:  082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.

Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za

The Western Cape - A Home for All
INtshona Koloni - iKhaya loMntu wonke
Die Wes-Kaap - 'n Tuiste vir Almal