Oversight visit at Batlhaping Secondary School and Pudimoe Sports Ground in Taung Local Municipality in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture and Sport Development conducted an oversight visit at Batlhaping Secondary School and Pudimoe Sports Ground in Taung Local Municipality in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

Chief Whip of the Legislature who’s also leading the Committee, Hon. Paul Sebegoe indicated that the programme is aimed at strengthening oversight, public participation, accountability and transparency in government. During the oversight members of the Legislature interact with different Provincial Departments, Accounting Officers and Members of the Municipal Public Accounts.

The Acting Principal of the Batlhaping Secondary School, Mr. Patrick Meyer, informed the committee that he has been seconded to the school by the district office due to declining performance of the school. Mr. Meyer informed the committee that the matric results has been dropping since 2020 and they only managed to obtain 74% pass rate for the 2022 academic year.

“Matric learners achieved 52% pass rate in the second term of 2023. We are currently drafting a revision plan with the hope that it would help the matric class of 2023 and improve the pass rate to 80%,” said Mr. Meyer.

Mr. Meyer raised a concern of teachers spending time in the staff room neglecting the allocated lessons as per school time table. The observation was made as early as Monday which should be one of the contributing factors to poor matric results. He further stated that another factor contributing to poor matric results is learners failing Setswana which is the home language.

The former principal has been transferred to the district office and is expected to provide handover and financial reports to Mr. Meyer on the 1st of September 2023.

The Deputy Principal, Mr. Lebogang Gasealawe informed the committee that the school has gone through three principals since 2021 which in a way created an unstable environment. Unstable management is contributing to the poor performance of the school. He further stated the challenge of absenteeism by teachers which also contributes to poor performance of the school. The teaching lost time is not easily recovered which disadvantages the learners.

The Chief Whip of the Legislature who’s also leading the Committee, Hon. Paul Sebegoe said the Committee will engage the Department of Education and request them to appoint the principal permanently with the hope that this will strengthen the management of the school. The committee will also enquire about measures taken by the Department of Education with regards to teachers who are always absent from school due to ill health or sick leave as these affects teaching and learning.

The Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture and Sport Development continued to Podimoe to check the status and development of the sport ground.

The committee found an incomplete project, only a soccer field with two goal posts and uneven ground around the field. The committee would engage the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to understand the process of identifying the projects, project owners, funding and hand over of such projects.

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