EC Department of Education Head Of Department (ECDoE HOD), Dr. Siyosile Nuku conducted Cluster meetings with 192 Principals and Departmental Heads at the Assembles of God Church in Mthatha, OR Tambo Inland.

The the purpose of the meetings is for intervention and give support to the identified under perfoming schools as the Department is about to approach the Grade 12 class of 2023 final examination.

"Everything rises and falls on you as the accountability officer in your own area of operation, so be ambitious, hardworking and disciplined," said ECDoE HOD Dr. Siyosile Nuku as he was delivering a presentation to the principals.

Dr. Nuku said, "Today, I am here to make this presentation to the school principals to create a high performance culture in our schools and to give them support and they do not want to continue underperforming.

Additionally, ECDoE Curriculum Deputy Director General Ray Tywakadi, today the ECDoE HOD is here to deliver the Departments implemented management plan that will give support and direction to the identified schools as informed by Circular D2 of 2017/D3 of 2023.

Therefore we have to focus on Capacity, allowing our curriculum to be under Economic Dimensions and we have to be inclusive, meaning the department needs to take care of everybody in the education system added Tywakadi.

Also commented was the OR Tambo Coastal Education District, Flagstaff Acting Circuit Manager, Tembalihle Mdutshane said; "The meeting had a positive impact on rising principals' ego to go back to their school puffed up to do more.

This meeting could have been more successful if it was held immediately at the beginning of the term because the strategies shared in the meeting required time for effective implementation.

Again, I would suggest that these sessions be held at District level in order to pay individual attention to all underperforming schools.

The Department must hold school principals accountable for underperfomance, and districts must provide support to the schools at all material times.

"Consequence management must be intensified to make all principals and all relevant officials to understand that underperfomance is not just about percentage but about individual learners, individual homes, and individual lives added Mdutshane.