Judas Sekwela
For years pupils have been forced to squash into classrooms that teachers have had to use as their offices.
But because of Covid, the stakes have increased for the 600 pupils of Mantsha Primary School at Ga-Sekgopo village outside Modjadjiskloof, who crowd into 10 classrooms.
A ceiling on one of the classrooms has since collapsed, posing a serious danger to pupils.
Fearing for their kids’ lives, the School Governing Body (SGB) and parents started writing letters to the Education Department in May, requesting mobile classrooms but their demands have fallen on deaf ears. On Wednesday they travelled to the department’s offices in Polokwane and picketed outside, demanding to see MEC Polly Boshielo and to handover their memorandum.
They said they decided to picket as they feared their kids are at risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19 in such crowded classrooms.
SGB chairman Lesedi Bopape said they raised the issues of pupils being congested in classrooms when they took office in May.
“We have not received any response,” he said.
“Now pupils are attending lessons rotationally while other schools attend every day.”
He said they demand five mobile classrooms as a temporary measure and teachers should also be provided with an admin block.
Parent Sipho Moagi said he fears for the safety and health of the pupils.
“Pupils are better off at home because they are at great risk at school. We won’t tolerate this any longer,” he said.
Education spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said their infrastructure team visited the school.
“The report is now with the district office where we are looking for various options to allow us to effectively utilise the existing infrastructure. This may include rearranging how existing classrooms are utilised as an immediate solution,” she said.
