Western Cape ready for the new school year

Western Cape education authorities say they expect a smooth start for the 2006 school year and have contingency plan in place to deal with accommodation challenges. Education MEC Cameron Dugmore says he is confident that schools will be able to accommodate the estimated one million learners, including 80-thousand new learners, expected to return to schools this week. Schools officially open on Wednesday, but teachers will be at school from today to prepare for the intake of learners. Dugmore says 99 percent of schools had already received the required materials and funding by the end of last year.