Pretoria - The winter school programme in Mpumalanga has kicked off without any glitches in all 115 centres running the programme, says the provincial Education Department.
The department set aside an amount of R8 million for the winter school programme, which started on 4 July and will run until 15 July 2011.
The programme is compulsory for all schools that had less than 30 percent pass rate during the 2010 National Senior Certificates exams.
The province achieved a 56.8 percent pass rate, an improvement of 8.9 percent from 2009, and this year, the province aims to produce 70 percent.
Provincial Education MEC Reginah Mhaule said attendance by learners is encouraging and urged learners and educators to take the advantage of the programme.
"Teaching and learning is taking place unhindered. The department is providing transport and nutrition is provided to deserving learners.
"I take this time to appreciate all learners and educators who are participating in this winter school programme and want to urge all school principals and parents to make an effort to ensure that all learners attend and take advantage of this programme to improve their scholastic results," Mhaule said on Tuesday.
She also reminded learners that there are 110 days left before the National Assessment Examinations, which will commence on 17 October; 48 278 full-time pupils and 1 906 part-time candidates in Mpumalanga have already registered to write the 2011 final exams.
Mhaule will on Wednesday morning visit one of the winter school centres at Valencia Combined School in Mbombela Municipality.
