Excited, scared, worried and nervous were some of the words used by learners, teachers and parents to describe how they felt on Wednesday as schools in South Africa re-opened for the new year.
Learners and staff at PJ Olivier geared up for the first day of school as they were shown into their new classrooms and introduced to staff members.
Excited, scared, worried and nervous were some of the words used by learners, teachers and parents to describe how they felt on Wednesday as schools in South Africa re-opened for the new year.
Learners and staff at PJ Olivier geared up for the first day of school as they were shown into their new classrooms and introduced to staff members.
Principal Piet Snyders said that the school has enrolled 62 new learners and that some classes have doubled in numbers. Snyders said that although registration has closed, some parents still come to enquire about space at the school for their children.
“Unfortunately they had to be turned away because we don’t have enough space for more learners,” he said. In an effort to get to know learners’ parents Snyders said he has held interviews with the parents and explained to them how the school system works and “what kind of cooperation is required from them.
Parents are quite involved in the school and they are one of the success recipes of the school,” said Snyders. He added that the teachers and learners know each other on a “one on one basis” which makes the staff approachable.
Snyders said the school is looking for a maths and science teacher and that they have employed a new social science teacher to help with the increase in numbers. Grade 1s were excited and ready to get into the swing of things as they started the year off with teacher Lizette Vlok.
“Although there are two learners who are absent the turn-out is quite good,” she said. Vlok has taught at PJ Olivier for 42 years and will be retiring at the end of this year.
Grade Rs, also known as PJ Pikkies at PJ Olivier, were also in a jovial mood as they met up with school friends old and new.
