SIBUKEKA sikhula isibalo sabafundi ababalekela umkhakha wezibalo (mathematics) ezigabeni zemfundo eyisiskelo njengoba ucwaningo olwenziwe uMnyango weMfundo eyisiSekelo kuzwelonke luveze ukuthi zingaphezu kuka-400 izikole ezingazifundisi izibalo.
Lokhu kuvele ngasekupheleni kwesonto eledlule ngesikhathi lo mnyango uphendula imibuzo kumalungu ephalamende. UNgqongqoshe walo mnyango uNkz Siviwe Gwarube, uthi kucwaningo olwenziwe ngonyaka odlule kuvele ukuthi ziwu-464 izikole ezingazifundisi izibalo kanti iKwaZulu-Natal ihamba phambili nnjengoba ziwu-135 ezingazifundisi izibalo. Ubalule izizathu athi ukholwa ukuthi yizo eziyimbangela yalokhu.
“Isifundo sezibalo siyasiqhakambisa kakhulu futhi siyafisa bande abafundi abasifundayo kodwa lokhu kakwenzeki ngenxa yezizathu ezehlukene ikakhulukazi ezindaweni ezisemakhaya. Kulezi zizathu sibala ukushoda kwezinsiza zokufundisa lesi sifundo, ukushoda kothisha abaqeqeshekile ukusifundisa, yinani elincane labafundi abakhetha lo mkhakha kanye nezinkinga zesabelomali,” esho.
Okhulumela uMnyango weMfundo eyisiSekelo uMnu Ellijah Mhlanga, uthi umnyango uyaqhubeka nemizamo yokuqinisekisa ukugqugquzela ukubaluleka kokufundwa kwezibalo. Uthi phezu kwalokho umnyango uyaqhubeka nokuqhamuka nezinye izindlela zokwenza abafundi basiqonde kangcono lesi sifundo.
“Phakathi kwemizamo yethu sibala isivumelwano sokusebenzisana phakathi kwethu noMnyango weMfundo ePhakeme kanye noMnyango wezobuChwepheshe, ukuqinisa ukufundwa kwezibalo emabangeni aphansi emfundo kanye nokuqinisekisa ukuvikeleka kwesikhathi sokufunda nokufundisa. Esikuhlose kakhulu ngale mizamo ukuthi babe baningi abafundi abafunda izibalo nezikole zibe nezinsiza ezifanele zokuqhubeka nokuzifundisa,” kusho uMhlanga.
UNobhala-jikele we-South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), uDkt Mugwena Maluleke uthi lesi sibalo sezikole ezingazifundisi izibalo siyethusa. Usole umnyango ngokuhluleka ukuqasha othisha.
“Unyaka nonyaka izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zikhiqiza othisha, ngiyacabanga kumele sike sihlalephansi nomnyango sibonisane ngendlela eyaphambili kubuye ukufundwa kwezibalo kulezi zikole. Kubalulekile futhi ukuthi ngikugcizelele ukuthi othisha kumele bayeke ukuphoqa abafundi ukuba babalekele izibalo ngenxa yokuthi bafuna kunyuke iphesenti lemiphumela kamatikuletsheni. Lokhu sikusho ngoba izikhalo ezinjalo sesike sazithola, ikakhulukazi ezikoleni ezisemakhaya,” kusho uMaluleke.
