MAMELODI COUNCILLORS HARD AT WORK AT TEACHERS CENTRE

Several Mamelodi-based Ward Councillors were hard at work this week at the Mamelodi Teachers Centre to help in the a placement process of learners who up to now have not been able to find schools that they can attend.

The parents of the learners could not find space for their children through the Gauteng Department of Education online application system due to various factors like being allocated schools which they don’t like as they are far way from the homes of their children as well as due to late applications.

The Mamelodi-based Ward Councillors left their busy schedules and went to help out at the Teachers Centre because there are large numbers of parents looking for placement for their children and this scenario leads to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) officials being overwhelmed by these large numbers and being unable to help the parents expeditiously.

Some of Mamelodi ward councillors who took their time are ward 6 councillor Shiba Madonsela and ward 86 councillor Kholofelo Kgopotso.

One of the Ward Councillors who volunteered her services regarding the placement of learners is Kholofelo Kgopotso, who told Tshwane Talks that their presence at the Teachers Centre as Ward Councillors was to help with the placement process and also help provide proof of residence to parents who want to have their children placed at schools but couldn’t do so due to lack of proof of residence.

“We left our service delivery responsibilities today so as to help in the education sphere because education comes first and is the most important thing in life and if we deliver services there, then that would be an achievement from our side as Ward Councillors,” said Kgopotso.

She pointed out that some of the problems they encountered as Councillors during the placement process were that some parents were opposed to the fact that elderly parents were moved to the front of the queue ahead of them; pointing out that they had woken up as early as 4am in the morning and that the elderly who came late must wait their turn at the end of the queue like everybody else.

“Another issue raised by Education District officials at the Teachers Centre is that some parents don’t want their learners to be placed at schools which are not of their choice and demand that they be placed in the schools that are near their homes,” said Kgopotso.

“The parents don’t accept the explanation that the schools of their choice are full and can’t accommodate their children, but other parents are understanding and have accepted the schools allocated to them by District officials,” explained Kgopotso.

She explained that those who wish to have their children placed at schools must bring along with them to the Teachers Centre the following documents:

1.Parent’s ID Copy.
2. Copy of child’s birth certificate.
3. Proof of residence.
4.Letter of transfer from previous school if parent wants to move his/ her child to another school in a grade which is neither Grade 1 nor Grade 8.

“I am happy to see Councillors taking it upon themselves to make sure that the placement process proceeds expeditiously,” said one parent who was also standing in the long queue to obtain placement for her child.

“I am not happy at all because my child will have to go and attend a school which is far from our home and that very school is notorious for being infested with gangsters and drugs, and another thing is that I am not sure if I will be able to afford the daily transport needed to take my child to school,” fumed a dissatisfied parent.