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Every time I watch the news, there is always something wrong in the Province. Lately it’s the issue of the Eastern Cape Education crisis where there’s a huge fall out between the Provincial Education department and the teachers union SADTU. At the moment there’s an on-going strike called Go slow where teacher are demanding that the Department must reinstate the employment of about 4000 Temporary teachers which their contacts were not renewed by the department in the start of this year. 

According to an article that I have come across is that the Province Education department have been struggle for past financial year to pay temporary teachers (“backlog this financial year of payments related to salaries and allowances for temporary teachers -- some dating from the 2010/11 financial year”) Provincial treasury spokeswoman Nosisa Sogiyose confirmed that correspondence was received from the provincial education department on December 13 last year asking for a bailout.” She was quoted saying the amount involved was R15, 733,301.72 for salaries in arrears and allowances for temporary teachers.” Is this the reason why the most affected group of all (pupils) is going to suffer yet another year? Let’s face it things have not been smooth for the Basic Education Department for some time now and it’s the same people who are affected mostly are the Student. During the year 2010 the country was affected by teachers strike and there was no hope that the children were going to make that year the passing rate for 2010 was 58.3% and now for 2011 was 58.1% down. Now we see yet another backward movement from our Province Education Department.
 
Then what are the solution for these problems which the Education department is faced with. I personally think that the solution does not rely on who we should fire and who is to blame, do not get me wrong I’m not saying that the is no one who is responsible for these issues because there is a problem somewhere and the guilty parties should be dealt with(in response to minister Angie Motshekga statement" if it was up to me i would remove Mr Mannya from office") . My point is that the problem started years ago with the Province failure to identify the paramount issues and putting structure that are going to see real improvement and systems that will get reed of mismanagement and corruption. These problems arrived before 2010/2011 and the window or the doors to close the gap have passed long before the Mannya’s and SADTU clash. Yes I said it Mismanagement and Corruption are the most important issues that the Eastern Cape Department is faced with and it is not a problem for only Education Department but that of the entire Provincial Departments are affected, it’s a disease that seem to it away any Progressions that the Province has. 



Eastern Cape Education Departments Problems:
According to my opinion, I came up with these following problems:
 
1. The issue of the Temporary Teachers post. With urgency this post must be filled with teacher who would have a contact drawn for a specified year and a basic salary should be given to them for x amount for the duration of x years. It should be an agreement between all the stake holders so that the issue of strike is avoided.
2. Mud Schools and the infrastructure. This is one of the issues that do not understand that in this day and age we still have Mud schools in our province. What about the money that the province was given to get reed of this mud schools and build brand new schools that are going to accommodate the pupils and teacher in the rural areas. Whenever I see children being thought under a tree or a no roof on top of their class I ask myself, where the community leader and parents of these children to assist? The government must ensure relationship with other business people of the province to make sure that these schools are a thing of the past.
3. Financial Mismanagement and corruption. I find that this issue is a broad issue and needs time to be implemented but that time is long gone. It’s time to investigate where the government funds are going and who is responsible for the mismanagement of these funds.
4. Transport. Early last year there was an on-going struggle to provide learners with transportation for pupils who live long distances away from their schools. We saw bus companies striking because the province was not paying them. Let the bus companies apply for the post and choose the company with busses that are road worthy and children will be safe in.
5. Nutrition. It is a fact that children who go to school hungry will not perform well on their school work. So the problem about this issue is simple bring back the Feed Schemes to the schools that need them the most. 

I may not know the extent of the problems that is really affecting the Education Department but from the information I receive from the media it looks like 'My Province' need drastic intervention from National government not to add on the problem but to find solutions.
In closing I urge the minister of Basic Education to put more focus on this matter and give solution that are go to see an improvement  in the Province.


 Please feel free to post comments and your views about this issue. My Province, Eastern Cape is it “doomed”?
There‘s still hope for you!

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