There is no Mpumalanga education office in Secunda. The department works through four district offices, and Secunda falls under the Gert Sibande district, whose office is in Ermelo. Its number is below, along with the provincial lines that are often more useful than either.
Official contact channels
- Gert Sibande District Office, the district covering Secunda: 017 809 5000, 2 De Jager Street, Ermelo, 2551
- Provincial toll free line: 0800 203 116
- Head office switchboard: 013 766 5552, 013 766 5349 or 013 766 5115
- Exam help desk: 013 766 0033
- Dial a Tutor, learner support: 087 805 1350
- Head office fax: 013 766 5577
Services and responsibilities
The Mpumalanga Department of Education runs public schooling in the province, and it publishes matric results, past examination papers, matric certificate re issuing, results analyses and information for independent schools. Two of its published lines are worth knowing about in their own right: the exam help desk deals specifically with examination queries, and Dial a Tutor is a learner support line rather than an administrative one, which is the number to give a pupil who needs subject help rather than a parent chasing an admission.
Office and address information
Head office is at the Ikhamanga Building, Government Boulevard, Riverside Park, Nelspruit, with post to Private Bag X11341, Nelspruit, 1200. The department publishes four district offices: Gert Sibande in Ermelo, Ehlanzeni at the former Mgwenya College of Education in Kanyamazane on 013 766 0300, Bohlabela at the former Mapulaneng College of Education on the R533 Graskop Road, Bushbuckridge, on 013 766 7418, and Nkangala, whose number is on the departmental contact page. If a district number does not answer, the provincial toll free line is the fallback.
Applications and escalation
Start at the school itself for admissions, placement, fees, transfers and a complaint about a teacher, because schools are run day to day by their principals and governing bodies. The district office is the next step and is the correct level for most unresolved school matters, which is why the Gert Sibande number matters more to a Secunda parent than the head office switchboard does. Beyond the district, escalate to the provincial head office. If the department itself does not act, the Public Protector investigates maladministration by organs of state and the South African Human Rights Commission takes complaints where access to basic education is at stake. Misconduct by a teacher is a matter for the South African Council for Educators, which registers and disciplines educators, and matric certificate matters are handled nationally by the Department of Basic Education rather than by a province.
Sources
- Mpumalanga Department of Education contact page listing head office, toll free, exam help desk, Dial a Tutor and all district offices: mpeducation.mpg.gov.za/contact.htm
- Mpumalanga Provincial Government departments listing, which links to the education department site: mpg.gov.za/departments