SCHOOLS FALLING BEHIND ON CURRICULUM - MOTSHEKGA

SCHOOLS are falling behind in getting
through this year’s curriculum, Basic
Education Minister Angie Motshekga said
today.
Only 40% of the curriculum had been
covered, meaning schools would not
complete it before the end of the year, she
told parents in Tembisa.
Motshekga, President Jacob Zuma, Gauteng
Premier David Makhura and Education MEC
Panyaza Lesufi were visiting one of the
oldest schools in the country, Marhulana
Primary School in Tembisa, Kempton Park, as
part of Mandela Month.
They inspected conditions at the school and
spoke to pupils.
Motshekga said she was worried by this
trend. The problem of not finishing the
curriculum affected primary school pupils
when they got to high school.
"That's why our children don't cope in high
school and drop out. This is a major problem
because they have to be put in microwaves
and we have to hold Saturday classes to help
the learners catch up with what they have
missed," she said.
By "microwaving", she meant that pupils had
to be quickly taught the previous grades’
work before they could get on with the
current year’s work.
Motshekga said most South Africans did not
read.
"Our people are not reading. We have have
a report that says 85% of our people don't
read. People are watching soapies with their
children and no one reads. Parents, please
let's make sure that our children read," she
said.