Statement by Yousuf Gabru, MEC for Education in the Western Cape

The past year marked the end of a long period of restructuring and change in the education system in South Africa and 2009 is the ideal opportunity to consolidate the advances made in terms of equitable access.

Our collective focus should be to improve quality and excellence, prevent school drop-outs, improve literacy and numeracy in the foundation and intermediate phase as well as improve the matric results.

Key to all this is to enthuse the whole system. In the past months we actively engaged teachers about their concerns and most importantly what the education department can do to ensure effective teaching and learning in all our schools.

I stand firm in the belief that we need to support teachers to do their work - and also, in the context of supporting them, to hold them accountable.

Accountability should work reciprocally; that we give support, and ask for good teaching in return. In the interaction with teachers it has been encouraging to note the fervour and commitment they have towards tackling the huge challenges of implementing the National Curriculum Statement in conditions that often militate against success.

Equally encouraging is the growing realisation amongst our learners that mediocrity can no longer be excused and tolerated. Learners are increasingly demanding their right to quality education and in delivering on this, education authorities and society in general should challenge them to work hard, to do their best, to act respectfully towards others, to learn about and value the cultural differences of our country, and to be ambitious for the future of the country and themselves.

Our teacher unions have pledged their support for improving quality. The South African Democratic Teachers Union endorsed the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign and committed to the "nonnegotiable" that includes that teachers must be on time, on task, prepared and behave professionally while the Education Department is required to provide the basic infrastructure, provide learning material, develop and support teachers.

Naptosa, the SA Teachers' Union (SAOU) and the Cape Professional Teachers Association undertook to help improve learner achievement and educators' pedagogic content knowledge and methodology and ensure they teach professionally while the Concerned Teachers Group has consistently campaigned for improving the quality of education.

Parents and communities also have a responsibility for assisting teaching and learning in every way they can, and for looking after their schools.

In conclusion I want to echo the sentiments of the Public Participation in Education Network established in December. The success and the quality of education depend on the active participation of the broad public.

Let us work together to make 2009 the year in which we deliver the promise of quality education for all children.

For enquiries, contact Millicent Merton:  072 724 1422 or mmerton@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