Cape Town - Education is the cornerstone of progress, shaping the future of individuals and communities alike.
In the Western Cape, this truth has been brought to life through stories of triumph, challenge, and innovation in education. As the year draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on some of the most impactful education stories that defined the region.
School closure due to weather
School closure due to weather A Level 9 weather warning prompted the Western Cape government to close schools in April.
Parents and residents in parts of the Western Cape were told that schools will be closed on a Monday due to extreme weather conditions, with schools in the Overberg, Cape Winelands and Helderberg areas forced to close their doors.
Well-dones
The Western Cape saw many of its teachers excel and stand-out at the 2024 National Teaching Awards, bagging two top spots and second and third place in respective categories.
The national awards recognise excellence in teaching, where the province again proved to have some of the best teachers.
Paarl Boys’ High School principal, Derek Swart, received the coveted Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award.
Swart, who has been teaching for over 40 years, dedicated his win to his school, the community, province and country.
Rusthof LSEN School’s energetic and selfless, teacher Chadwin Bagley, was recognised for his unique teaching style, with storytelling, drama, role play and music, and walked away with the number two spot at the awards.
Good-byes
The province saw some of its pillars within the education sector retiring and handing over the baton to the next batch of teachers.
This year marked the end of an era, as South Peninsula High School principal Zeid Baker, 60, and administrative assistant Joan Bezuidenhout, 65, bid farewell to a place they called home for decades, leaving behind a combined legacy of 69 years in education.
But not all goodbyes were good.
For Rocklands High School, the shocking passing of school principal Nigel Pelston left a sense of sadness across the teaching fraternity.
Pelston, 59, who served in education for over 35 years, passed away suddenly in August.
Table View K-word saga and Pinelands High School “Slave trade” incident
Both schools came under fire after learners were found to breach their school’s code of conduct and tap into violating their fellow learners’ dignity.
Table View High School was also flung into the headlines when a white substitute teacher was accused of using the K-word during a history lesson with grade 12 learners.
An investigation ensued with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and Department of Labour.
Pinelands High School was flung into a controversial saga after learners filmed their peers “selling off” their black classmates.
The WCED said five learners were suspended and the Student Governing Body called for disciplinary action to be finalised.
Matric Exam crib notes
Halfway through the 2024 matric exams, the WCED reported that nine candidates were spotted by eagle-eyed invigilators, trying to bring either cell phones or crib notes into exam venues.
Bela Bell
This year saw the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) Bill again come under scrutiny.
The Bela Bill intends to help guide, among others, the merger of schools; to make Grade R the new compulsory school starting age; and provide penalties for parents and guardians who do not ensure their children are in school.
It also seeks to transfer decision-making authority from school governing bodies to provincial departments of education in relation to schools’ admission and language policies.
In September, the Bill was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, but was met with mixed reaction.
Ramaphosa also announced the three-month suspension of two clauses of the bill on admission and language policy, to allow all parties to debate further.
Thereafter if there is no agreement, the clauses would come into effect.
Cut in teacher posts
The WCED reported that they had no choice but to terminate 2 407 teaching posts in the province.
Education MEC David Maynier said more than R800 million had to be allocated to the department but that it would not help save teacher posts.
The department said the cut was due to a shortfall in budget, after only receiving 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage bill.
It later explained that the cuts were not retrenchment-like but rather a reduction in teaching posts by not reappointing some contract teachers after their contracts end on December 31.
Western Cape Schools are full
The final announcement for the 2024 school year came just a few days after schools closed on December 11.
Maynier confirmed that schools in the province are already full for 2025 and they were faced with challenges including providing the infrastructure, teachers and the school resources needed given the expected increase in learner numbers.
As of December 4, the (WCED allocated 117 407 or 97% of placements to learners for whom applications were received for Grade 1 and 8 for the 2025 school year.
Placement was in progress for 3 698 Grade 1 and 8 learners.
In addition, from January 1, 2025, the department expects to receive extremely late admission applications for around 4 000 Grade 1 and 8 learners.