Meetings with Members of Parliament: Annette Lovemore (DA) held on 24 April 2015

Annette Lovemore, the Shadow Minister in the Basic Education Portfolio at Parliament was the speaker at a recent MP Lunch held at the Townhouse Hotel. This event was attended by principals, teachers, members of the faith community and the German consul-general. Mrs Lovemore spoke to the core issues that she felt most needed to be dealt with in South Africa. Mrs Lovemore discussed the responsibility that comes with being in the position of MP and that, when sworn in, an MP commits to honouring the mandate set out for them in the Constitution.

During the discussion NGO members, students and teachers raised several issues related to teaching being an essential service; how the Depts of Basic Education and Higher Education integrate and communicate with one another in order to work effectively; the issue of whether the government will re-introduce teaching colleges. Mrs Lovemore dealt with important issues faced by the school system but, in particular, students. What was needed was for the youth to be the core focus of any policy or legislation in education and for Mrs Lovemore, the task of the leading opposition party was to make certain these challenges were dealt with by government accordingly.

L-R: CPLO interns Danielle Hoffmeester and Elaine Pypers engaging with Annette Lovemore