Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

6 December, 2016

Minister Schäfer wishes all WCED educators, learners and staff a happy and safe holiday.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

The 2016 school year will end for more than one million learners in the Western Cape tomorrow (Wednesday, 7^th December 2016).

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all learners, educators, school administration staff, officials and their families a very happy, safe and well-deserved holiday.

I would also like to appeal to communities to be aware that the schools in their communities are vulnerable to burglary and vandalism during the holidays.

We remind all schools that have alarm systems to test their systems to ensure that they are in working order before they close their schools.

In order to protect our schools, as far as possible, from burglary and vandalism over the holiday period, the WCED's Safe Schools directorate has arranged increased security at some of our identified high risk schools.

Schools are safest where local communities play an active role in helping to look after them. We also ask every community member to help their schools by participating in neighbourhood watches and immediately reporting any suspicious behaviour in and around our schools to the police.

In addition to ensuring that our schools are safe, it is also important that we keep our children safe and occupied during the school holiday period.

The WCED Safe Schools has organised a holiday programme for all learners which will be launched on 8^th December 2016 across all eight education districts in the Province. Programmes will run until the 16^th December 2016.

Once again, a number of stakeholders have come on board to assist us with the various educational and fun activities. The programmes include various government departments, the City of Cape Town, Metro Police, SAPS, Child Welfare, The Test Learning Centre, the WECTAC Leadership Academy as well as a number of NGO's.

Educational Programmes on offer will cover important topics such as substance abuse, HIV/Aids, sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy seminars, workshops on conflict and drug abuse, peer pressure, leadership and communications courses, as well as programmes on anti-bullying, debating and reading sessions.

Fun and physical activities include swimming, indigenous games, drumming, beach clean-ups and team building activities such as mini Olympics and various sports. Learners will also visit historical sites and the aquarium.

Schools will reopen on the 9^th January 2017 for educators and on the 11^th January 2017 for learners.

In 2017, there are 197 school days for learners and 201 days for teachers during which teaching and learning must take place. Learners are expected to be at school for the full 197 days in accordance with the National Learner Attendance Policy.

I would like to urge all parents who are travelling over the holiday period to ensure that their children are back in time and present on the first day of the school year. If they are not, it affects the whole class.

In preparation for the new school year, we urge parents to note the following:

• To consider uniform and stationery expenses for the 2017 school year.

• Parents must plan ahead to pay school fees at schools that charge fees unless they intend applying for fee exemption, and qualify for same.

In closing, I would like to wish all our educators, learners and staff a happy and safe holiday. Thank you for your support and dedication throughout the year.

2016 has been a challenging year for a number of reasons, but I believe that we tackled many important issues that will see us grow as a department. Despite these challenges we managed to achieve great things against the odds.

I look forward to 2017 and what we as a department can achieve in education.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Shelver
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 076 175 0663