By Doreen Mokgolo
Angry parents of learners at the new Birch-Kemp satellite school in Kempton Park have vowed that teaching and learning will not happen until the Gauteng Department of Education commits to building classrooms.
Since it opened on Wednesday 17 January, parents have been protesting at the site of the new school, preventing the construction of temporary mobile classes.
The school is meant to accommodate the 700 learners in highschool and primary school from Kempton Park and Birchwood who have not yet been placed.
On Monday 22 January, the department temporarily placed 200 affected primary school learners at Edleen Primary School.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, concerned parent Mosima Ngwasheng said the department knew of the challenges in the area over the years but failed to make plans to avoid them.
One of the challenges is that water and electricity services have not yet been connected.
“They could have built a proper structure like they do in other areas as they know the number of children in their system. We refuse for our children to attend classes here [because] we have learned of the challenges of these classes, especially relating to extreme weather,” Mosima said.
“If we allow for this, it might take years for the department to build a proper structure.”
Another parent, Thomas Zulu, urged parents to allow the department to complete the construction so that teaching and learning could take place.
“The biggest losers in this delay are our children who are still at home. All schools in the area are full. What will happen to them [the learners] as the year progresses? Let us set the politics about the school aside by prioritising our children,” he said.
Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said learning and teaching were meant to start at the new site, “but parents want a permanent school which we cannot afford to offer at the moment”.
“Teachers [have been appointed], [a] School Governing Body was elected and school uniforms were chosen by a majority of parents who want the children to be in school. Once construction is completed learners will be moved to the school,” he said.
Pictured above: The Birch-Kemp satellite school.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
