This comes after Makgoe was addressing the media earlier on Thursday at the Botlehadi Primary School, as he was accompanying the Minister of Education, Angie Motshekga, to check the progress at various schools in Bloemfontein in the Free State. Makgoe stated that 53% of schools in the province have their learners back on a full-time basis at full capacity, with Maluti-a -Phofung in Qwaqwa having all their learners back at school.

“We are going to interact with the teachers and principals to look at all the options because we believe that it’s better for a child to [be at school] for two hours or three hours than not coming at all. We raised an issue, minister, I don’t know whether you will sanction me on that. We even said to the principals and teachers that we need to identify which subjects to focus on, given that we don’t have enough time, we can’t teach all those subjects. Therefore, we agreed that in primary schools we will focus on Maths and Langauge. Once we have addressed those two, at least children will be able to catch up on all the other subjects,” said Makgoe.

He further stated that the department is looking at various other ways to keep children motivated. So that even outside school classes they will continue to learn. Makgoe asked the minister to assist the Education Department with teacher’s assistants.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi