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Over 9 000 flags have been given to schools across the country to encourage pride in the national identity among school children.

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Thursday said 9 530 flags have been distributed to schools as part of government’s programme to popularise national symbols and to mobilise citizens, especially the youth, to embrace their South African identity.

“The people of South Africa must understand at a young age who they are and where they come from. In fact, the flags project is an integral part of a bigger campaign to promote national identity and unity among all citizens.

“It complements the school curriculum that includes the recital of the Preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, among other initiatives,” said Minister Mthethwa.

The Department of Arts and Culture is working with the Department of Basic Education to monitor and measure the influence of the hoisting of flags to national pride and consciousness, including in rural and other far flung areas.

“Schools are scattered all over the country and can be found in remote areas where there is no other public building with a national flag like a police station.

“As a result, the school with the national flag becomes the community’s source of national identity and pride, and thus gives people a sense of belonging,” said Minister Mthethwa.

The Minister said he was happy that the project has not incurred extra costs since 2012.

“Instead, it has picked up a faster pace with the appointment of two service providers in each province. This has resulted in the creation of jobs for 154 people,” said Minister Mthethwa. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Enver Surty, says the hand-over of a new primary school in the Western Cape will go a long way in increasing access and in improving the quality of education in the area.

The Deputy Minister said this when handing over the newly-refurbished Die Duine Senior Primary School in Lotus River, Cape Town.

In an interview with SAnews, the Deputy Minister said the opening of the school was part of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI), launched to eradicate inadequate school structures in 2011.

“This is part of government’s plan to provide quality education and to improving access to education. Today is a cause for celebration. The hand-over is the first of two phases which will see government handing over 25 schools over the next year,” he said.

The hand-over of refurbished and newly-built schools started in the Eastern Cape last year, a province that was prioritised due to its grave infrastructure needs – especially because of the number of mud-schools that needed to be eradicated.

“Nationally, we have already completed the construction of 75 schools. This programme is not only about providing schools, but it is about providing schools with quality infrastructure,” he said.

As part of the schools infrastructure initiative, the department has handed over 49 schools in the Eastern Cape between 17 July last year and August this year.

The Western Cape leg will see the department handing over 14 schools in the first phase, followed by another 11 schools thereafter.

Margot Kiewit, the school’s Principal, said the dignity of the learners and educators had been restored with the unveiling of the newly refurbished school.

“With this new building, we will enhance the academic performance of our educators and learners,” she said.

She said the 40 year-old school had been built with prefabricated building material that has a lifespan of 15 years.

This meant classrooms were very hot during summer and very cold during winter – conditions that were not conducive for learning, the principal said.

Upon his arrival at the school, the Deputy Minister, accompanied by Western Cape Minister of Education MEC Debbie Schäfer, greeted the school’s staff and learners – from Grade R to the senior grades.

MEC Schäfer said she was impressed with the principal for having been a loyal employee of the school for 36 years.

She also thanked all stakeholders involved in building the schools.

She said the province was also in the process of building 33 new schools in the Western Cape, 25 of which were part of the ASIDI intervention.

MEC Schäfer said the partnership between the national Basic Education Department and the Western Cape Department of Education was a key partnership that will contribute towards the delivery of quality schools.

The school has four Grade R classrooms, another four for specialist learning including a computer lab, 10 foundation classrooms, seven senior classrooms and eight intermediate classrooms.

“This is a building which is on par with some of the best schools, I believe, in South Africa,” said Kiewit. – SAnews.gov.za

For the first time in his life, 15 year-old Mbongeni Ngomani will be able to log on to a computer when he gets to his school on Monday.

Mbongeni is one of 678 learners at Phatfwa Secondary School in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga who will benefit from 15 computers donated to the school by the Department of Communications and OpenView HD.

Speaking to SAnews on Friday as Deputy Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams handed over the computers, Mbongeni said having access to the technology will assist the school in improving learner’s computer skills.

“I am feeling good about our school receiving these computers because my performance in technology and other subjects is going to improve,” he said.

The Grade 8 learner lives with his grandmother while his parents and two siblings live in Clau-clau, in Ehlanzeni. “My parents do not work, we depend on social grants to survive at home.”

The school’s principal, Phillip Mabuza, said learners will now master basic computer skills, as most of them, like Mbongeni, have never used a computer before.

“Our learners will not struggle much when they go to tertiary institutions,” he said.

Most of the learners come from impoverished backgrounds and they need resources to keep up with the education system.

Mabuza said Phatfwa Secondary School already had computer literate teachers who would be able to teach learners basic computer skills, although in the future he would need a teacher who specialises in computer systems as a subject.

He was excited to add to the facilities already at the school aimed at ensuring learners were well-rounded individuals like the sports grounds and school hall.

The handover of the computers formed part of the Deputy Minister’s Imbizo programme to the province and celebration of Women’s Month.

Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams encouraged the girl children at the school to carry forward the legacy left by the women of 1956, who marched to the Union Buildings to protest against the apartheid pass laws.

She said young girls needed to understand what the Women’s Charter was about and try to apply it to their current situations.

“Our government today is faced with new challenges of women and children abuse… you too [girls] should help us fight and win the battle against abuse. You should keep away from underage drinking because most men take advantage of girls who are intoxicated,” said the Deputy Minister.

She encouraged learners to focus on their education so that they can improve their living conditions.

Also as part of commemorating Women’s Month, the Deputy Minister handed over 20 Open View HD television set installations at women-led households in Mbonisweni.

Marketing Manager of Open View HD, Shalamar Zandamela, said the satellite and decoder did not require owners to pay monthly instalments once installed.

“The benefit of this decoder is that once you’ve paid for the installation, which costs between R850 and R1600, you can have access to over 18 television channels, including SABC and etv plus.”

She said the channels showed local and international content to allow consumers to stay abreast of the happenings in their communities and around the world.

She said there were also educational programmes that will help learners get more information about their school work.

“During school holidays, learners will be able to revise their work and improve their grades,” she added. - SAnews.gov.za