EASTERN CAPE - EC GOVERNMENT TO CLOSE OVER 1000 SCHOOLS

The Eastern Cape government will press ahead with its plans to close down more than 1,000 schools in the province.

It says the schools are unviable due to dwindling pupil numbers.

The move has been criticised by some education groups who claim the provincial government has been vague with details.

But Eastern Cape education department’s Malibongwe Mtima says they are busy with consultation.

“There are 1,000 plus schools that have been identified because they are having few numbers [of learners] - for example, grade R to grade seven with 30 learners and those that start from grade eight to 12 with less numbers, which means they are not meeting the policy.”

Equal Education’s Tshepo Motsepe is questioning the numbers.

“[One thousand] schools is quite radical. We would like to see a plan. There should be a plan that is made public that outlines how they got to that decision.”

VIA - ewn.co.za