HUNDREDS of pupils at Skwayimi Junior Secondary School in Qumbu have been forced to study outside after their school burnt down early on Saturday morning.
The school, which is situated about 15km from Qumbu, has more than 200 pupils who now face a grim winter if they do not get classrooms soon.
More than half of them were outside preparing for their end of term tests when the Daily Dispatch arrived at the school. Books, desks, chalk boards and textbooks all went up in flames, as well as the school’s two gas stoves used to cook the pupils’ food every day.
School principal Thandeka Jafta said the fire was only noticed by a community member who lives close to the school when the fire had already razed four classes.
“We were woken early in the morning by community members who told us the school was on fire. Those who came to help were able to take out some cabinets and put out the fire in the staff room.”
She added: “Some of the kids had left their backpacks at the school and they were destroyed in the fire. We will ask for donations from bookshops to assist. This will be a major setback as they are preparing for their end of term tests.”
Jafta said if the school did not get temporary structures to accommodate the pupils before winter the attendance rate could drop as some of the pupils lived far from the school.
“It gets really cold here in winter. The kids are already unsettled by the whole ordeal. There will be problems with attendance when the cold season be gins. Even now it started drizzling a bit. When it starts raining we will have to crowd them into one of the remaining classrooms,” Jafta said.
Teachers for Grades 4 to 9 are using old and small portable chalkboards for tests and classwork, and the chief of the village has lent the school some chairs normally used by the community during meetings.
The only remaining structures are three mud classrooms used by Grades R to 3 but there are no chairs as they are kept in the solid structures that went up in flames.
Jafta said two grades had to be accommodated in one class even before the school caught fire.
Community member Tyelinzima Somtsewu said the cause of the fire had to be investigated.
“The fire did not just ignite itself. The matter needs to be investigated. We need to know exactly what happened. This is very sad for us as a community but we are more than willing to assist,” where we can,” Somtsewu said.
Provincial education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said the department would send an official to assess the damage.
“It is a dire situation – the de partment is compelled to act quick ly. We will send an assessor to look at the damage to determine what type of intervention we can take in the short term. ... We will help the police to investigate the matter further so that we can know if there was foul play.” —
School fire leaves pupils out in the cold
The school, which is situated about 15km from Qumbu, has more than 200 pupils who now face a grim winter if they do not get classrooms soon.
More than half of them were outside preparing for their end of term tests when the Daily Dispatch arrived at the school. Books, desks, chalk boards and textbooks all went up in flames, as well as the school’s two gas stoves used to cook the pupils’ food every day.
School principal Thandeka Jafta said the fire was only noticed by a community member who lives close to the school when the fire had already razed four classes.
“We were woken early in the morning by community members who told us the school was on fire. Those who came to help were able to take out some cabinets and put out the fire in the staff room.”
She added: “Some of the kids had left their backpacks at the school and they were destroyed in the fire. We will ask for donations from bookshops to assist. This will be a major setback as they are preparing for their end of term tests.”
Jafta said if the school did not get temporary structures to accommodate the pupils before winter the attendance rate could drop as some of the pupils lived far from the school.
“It gets really cold here in winter. The kids are already unsettled by the whole ordeal. There will be problems with attendance when the cold season be gins. Even now it started drizzling a bit. When it starts raining we will have to crowd them into one of the remaining classrooms,” Jafta said.
Teachers for Grades 4 to 9 are using old and small portable chalkboards for tests and classwork, and the chief of the village has lent the school some chairs normally used by the community during meetings.
The only remaining structures are three mud classrooms used by Grades R to 3 but there are no chairs as they are kept in the solid structures that went up in flames.
Jafta said two grades had to be accommodated in one class even before the school caught fire.
Community member Tyelinzima Somtsewu said the cause of the fire had to be investigated.
“The fire did not just ignite itself. The matter needs to be investigated. We need to know exactly what happened. This is very sad for us as a community but we are more than willing to assist,” where we can,” Somtsewu said.
Provincial education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said the department would send an official to assess the damage.
“It is a dire situation – the de partment is compelled to act quick ly. We will send an assessor to look at the damage to determine what type of intervention we can take in the short term. ... We will help the police to investigate the matter further so that we can know if there was foul play.” —
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos