Qumbu district is now officially the worst performing district in the Eastern Cape following the release of the 2009 matric results yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the ‘Stories’ Category
Learners write a biology test in one of the overcrowded classrooms at Nomagqwethekana Comp Tech High School.Picture: ALAN EASON
Following former Education Minister Naledi Pandor’s visit to the Mbizana district, the Daily Dispatch investigated why education in the district was in shambles.
The Dispatch team spent 10 days in the area prior to the Grade 12 exams at the end of last year.
The team visited Chief Dumile Senior Secondary School, Nomagqwethekana Comprehensive Technical High School and Mpondombini Senior Secondary School. Read the rest of this entry »
In his tale A Christmas Carol, the social reformer Charles Dickens wrote: “Ignorance and need – when you see these two together, fear them.” Read the rest of this entry »
TIME OUT IN THE SUN: But the scenic beauty is a mask for the poverty and misery that a lack of hope brings to pupils in the EC’s worst performing district. Picture: ALAN EASON
Education in Mbizana – the Eastern Cape’s worst performing education district – is still in turmoil despite promises from government that 2009 would see a turnaround in the dismal matric pass rate.
In 2008, this district scored the lowest marks in the matric final exams in the province with a pass rate of only 29.3 percent. Of the 2811 matrics who wrote exams in 2008, only 823 passed. Read the rest of this entry »
Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase. Picture: ALAN EASON
Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase highlights the serious problems in education in the Eastern Cape during an interview with Asa Sokopo: Read the rest of this entry »
A Nomagqwethekana Comprehensive Technical High School pupil peeps around the corner of the school building when she should be in class. Picture: ALAN EASON
Reckless lifestyles have been cited for the poor academic performance of matriculants in Mbizana. Non-governmental organisations say issues such as teachers’ sexual relationships with school children, drugs, rape and poverty are some of the factors to blame.
An alarmed Jack Mabhena, the director of Vusanani Rape Crisis Centre in Bizana, accused male teachers of having sex with school children. Read the rest of this entry »
A senior health official who passed through the Bizana schooling system has bucked the trend of despair common to the district.
With a degree and five diplomas to her name, 44-year-old Luyanda Nqenqa has made a success of her life. Read the rest of this entry »
High school dropout, Siyanda Zandana, outside a tavern in Bizana. Picture: ALAN EASON
Drinking has become a refuge for Bizana’s failed matrics, many of whom have given up on their dreams and find comfort in the bottle. With no prospects of jobs or furthering their education, it has become a means of escape for the youth.
Busy Bee Entertainment, popularly know as Dinangwe’s, is one popular watering hole for such dropouts. Read the rest of this entry »
Lindeka Ndiki, 17, stands with her 15-month-old baby, Simbongile, on her back. Ndiki dropped out of school in June 2008. With Ndiki is Nokuthula Tshezi, 17, who also dropped out of school. Picture ALAN EASON
Bizana district schools have one of the highest pregnancy rates in the province and in 2008, 581 pupils fell pregnant. In 2009, 917 pupils fell pregnant.
The high number of pregnancies is also blamed for the low results at the 212 schools in the district.
Principals said that pregnant pupils, who are often tired, fall asleep in class, making it difficult for them to absorb information.
Teachers and principals are crying out for help and also blame illiteracy among parents as the reasons behind the high pregnancy rates at schools. Read the rest of this entry »
A student at Nomgqwethekana Comprehensive Technical High School. Picture: ALAN EASON
School facilities in Bizana are so poor that pupils often cross the border into KwaZulu-Natal to complete their assignments.
With no library facilities at five schools visited by the Dispatch, children have no access to information.
On the other hand, money is a scarcity and so not every child is able to pay the taxi fare to take the 60 kilometre trip to Port Edward in the Eastern Cape’s neighbouring province. Read the rest of this entry »
