Adjunkspeaker, die ANC wil die onderwysers en lede van die gemeenskap van die noordelike gebiede van die Nelson Mandela- metropool in die Oos-Kaap lof toeswaai. Die onderwysers en lede van die gemeenskap het dit op hulself geneem om te verseker dat armoede nie noodwendig 'n onoorkomlike hindernis is om gehalte- onderwys en 'n veilige leeromgewing vir hul leerlinge te skep nie.
Onderwysers en skoolhoofde in die noordelike en suidelike gebiede maak groot opofferings om geld, borgskappe en donasies vir hul skole in te vorder. Daar word verneem dat een skoolhoof uit sy eie sak vir leermateriaal vir sy matrikulante betaal het. 'n Ander skoolhoof het openlik verklaar dat sy skool 'n geengeldskool is en het met fondsinsameling die funksionering van sy skool befonds. Ander prinsipale het hul skole oopgestel om tweelingskole te vorm met gegoede skole wrelwyd, wat hul leerlinge tot voordeel strek.
Pogings van die skoolleierskap in die noordelike gebiede het daartoe gelei dat lede van die gemeenskap ingesluit is om te help met veiligheid en die gereelde skoonmaak van skole. Die Laerskool Sapphire in Booysenspark, onder die leierskap van die prinsipaal, mnr Bruce Damons, het ook 'n kliniek en 'n beradingsentrum wat deur vrywillige werkers bestuur word, op die skoolperseel vir die leerlinge geopen.
Die ANC prys en ondersteun di goeie programme vir opvoedingsverryking deur onderwysers, skoolhoofde en lede van die gemeenskap. Die Departement van Basiese Onderwys het, as deel van die strewe tot gehalte-onderwys, 'n program vir opvoedingsverryking wat help om te verseker dat armoede nie 'n struikelblok is nie. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Mrs H H MALGAS (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the ANC would like to praise teachers and learners from the community of the northern areas of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area in the Eastern Cape. The teachers and members of the community took it upon themselves to ensure that poverty was not necessarily an insurmountable obstacle in order to create quality teaching and a safe learning environment for their learners.
Teachers and principals in the northern and southern areas sacrifice a lot in order to collect funds, sponsorships and donations for their schools. It is understood that a principal single-handedly paid for the learning materials of his matriculants. Another principal openly stated that his school was a no-fee school and used fund-raising to fund the functioning of his school. Other principals opened up their schools for twinning with well- to-do schools all over the world, which benefits the learners.
Efforts by school authorities in the northern areas resulted in the inclusion of members of the community, who assisted with security and the regular cleaning of the schools. Sapphire Primary in Booysens park, under the leadership of the principal, Mr Bruce Damons, also opened up a clinic and a centre for counselling which are managed by voluntary workers on the premises of the school.
The ANC praise and support this good programme for educational enrichment by teachers, principals and members of the community. The Department of Basic Education has, as part of the endeavour to have quality teaching, a programme for educational enrichment which helps to ensure that poverty is not an obstacle.]