As from January 2010 the Gauteng Education Department will start providing all teachers in Grade 1 to 3 with standard lesson plans for literacy and numeracy.

Provincial MEC for Education Barbara Creecy said the initiative was the beginning of a new support programme for primary schools that aimed to make sure all children pass Maths and English by the time they leave Grade 7.

“To help principals, teachers and parents to know how well their learners are doing, all children will be tested in literacy and numeracy in Grades 3 and 6 every year.

“These tests will also help the department, principals and the School Governing Body to implement programmes to improve poorly performing schools,” said Creecy on Wednesday.

Later in the year, the learners in the same Grades will further get workbooks to help them learn literacy and numeracy.

Government will spend R524 million to fund the rollout of workbooks for pupils in Grades 1 to 7 in the poorest 60 percent of schools for the 2010 school year, to boost literacy and numeracy in early grades.

Creecy also challenged parents to help their children by listening to them read for ten minutes, counting and doing simple sums with them for ten minutes.

“Parents can help their children everyday by helping your child to practice writing for ten minutes and making sure your child arrives at school on time and behaves well.

“It is also important for parents to attend school meetings and meet your child’s teacher once a term to discuss your child’s progress,” Creecy said.

- BuaNews