By REGINALD KANYANE
More than 29 000 Grade 12 learners will be going into camps across the North West starting from 24 June 2022 as the schools’ recess for winter break. The North West MEC for Education, Wendy Matsemela said the department has convened the winter camps for its Grade 12 learners to look at problematic areas of learning.
“A sum of 29 802 Grade 12s will be housed in 102 camping centres across the province from 24 June until 17 July 2022. The camps will operate in a hybrid model, wherein other camps will be residential and others walk-ins.
“Throughout the camps, learners will be taught by our dedicated teachers in areas such as Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Commercial subjects, and Languages. Learners will be catered for by our food handlers and transportation will also be available,” Matsemela said.
She said residential camps shall run under strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols, which include wearing masks, washing hands, and sanitizing hands and desks. Matsemela further assured the parents that, learners’ safety shall be prioritised.
“Our winter camps are open for the next four weeks. We encourage parents to release learners to attend- either do daily walk-ins or book for residential. Learners can enquire with their teachers on which camp will accommodate a hybrid model or residential.
“Indeed, teachers’ and learners’ lives are a primary concern to us as the department. We remain committed to ensuring that their lives matter and are treated with utmost security and hygiene,” Matsemela said.
She is expected to conduct unannounced visits to the centres to monitor teaching and learning proceed. According to Matsemela, the winter camps have proven to assist learners to understand the content better as they also rehearse previous question papers so to improve their year-end performance.
“In the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, winter camps will resume on 27 June 2022 due to some administrative delays experienced by the district. A total of 1 585 teachers will be facilitating the study camps,” said Matsemela.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla signed a document repealing Section 16A, 16B, and 16C of the Regulation to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions made under the National Health Act and scrapped the use of masks.
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