Education

Question by: 
Hon Brett Herron
Answered by: 
Hon David Maynier
Question Number: 
6
Question Body: 

Regarding learner transport services for learners in the Ceres and Tulbagh communities:
(1) (a) Why were learner transport services that were provided to learners in the Vredebes, Tulbagh and Ceres areas, despite the 5 km radius rule, suddenly with-drawn with effect from 1 September 2024, (b) why were the routes in (i) Ceres and (ii) Tulbagh specifically withdrawn and (c) what is being done to ensure the 378 affected children have safe and reliable means of transport to get to school;
(2) with reference to the plan to withdraw learner transport to learners at the Lingcinga Zethu Secondary School and transfer those learners to the Tulbagh High School, and the plan to move Grade 7 learners from the Lingomso Pimary School (Xhosa-medium school) to the Tulbagh High School (Afrikaans-medium school), (a) why is the learner transport being withdrawn and (b) when these learners are transferred to the Tulbagh High School, what will the medium of instruction be for these learners;
(3) whether the Tulbagh High School is currently dual or parallel medium; if not,
(4) whether there are plans for the school to become parallel or dual medium; if not, will these learners, who are primarily Xhosa-speaking children, be expected to learn Afrikaans;
(5) whether classes in Xhosa will be made available to the Xhosa-speaking children; if not, why not;
(6) whether the school is resourced for English as mother-tongue language of learning and teaching; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Answer Body: 

(1) With respect to the route serving Ceres Primary School, Ceres Secondary
School, and Morrisdale Primary School, I have received a formal appeal of the decision to not approve additional learners for the Learner Transport Scheme (LTS) Route. As the appeal authority in this regard, in
order to avoid prejudicing the outcome of the appeal, I will not be able to provide a detailed response before the appeal is concluded.
(2) With respect to the plan to enrol learners at Tulbagh High School in 2025, my department has informed me of the following:
(a) The plan to enrol learners at Tulbagh High School and not Iincinga Zethu Secondary School will address overcrowding at Iincinga Zethu Secondary School. The relevant learners in Tulbagh will thus attend school in Tulbagh, removing the need for learner transport to another town.
(b) Tulbagh High School will start a Grade 8 English Language of Teaching and Learning (LoLT) stream at the school in 2025.
(3) Tulbagh High School is registered as a parallel medium school.
(4) The subject package will include IsiXhosa Home Language and English First Additional Language.
(5) The subject package will include IsiXhosa Home Language.
(6) In order to accommodate the plan, the district will source educators that teach in the LOLT indicated. Additional resources will also be sourced as required.

Date: 
Friday, November 29, 2024
Top