AN INCREASING number of Eastern Cape schools are “closing down” in an effort to get the attention of the department of education – even after education superintendent-general Mthunywa Ngonzo slammed the closures calling them unconstitutional.
This week teaching at four more schools ground to halt – three over a shortage of teachers and one because the department failed to honour promises of fencing the school and providing a security guard.
School governing body (SGB) member Linda Ntlanganiso said there had been no teaching and learning at Sosebenza High School in Lady Frere since Monday.
The school’s teacher shortage has left some classes with no teachers at all, and school integration has almost doubled pupil numbers from about 160 to over 300.
According to Ntlanganiso, angry parents and pupils took to the streets on Monday, closing two other schools in the vicinity as well. Ntlanganiso said pupils went on a rampage, singing loudly and thrashing books at neighbouring schools Rietspruit Senior Primary and St Augustines Junior Secondary.
“So there has basically been no learning at either of these schools since Monday and parents are today meeting with the district director to discuss a way forward,” he said.
Teaching stopped at Tipini Junior Secondary School in Mthatha two weeks ago after the provincial education department failed to provide a fence and a security guard. The promise was made is after a teacher was robbed at knife-point in front of her class last year.
School principal Sandile Madikizela said angry parents had decided to withdraw their children because they didn’t feel safe at the school.
The principal said teachers were worried that pupils had already missed out on two weeks of schooling but argued that the environment was not safe for the staff as well. “We can’t stay here because we just don't feel safe anymore,” Madikizela said.
“The department promised that the issue of fencing and security guards would be sorted out by December last year but that has not happened.
“As a result parents have removed their children and teachers have resolved to report to the district office for now.”
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said they had noted the trend of school closures, which started in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage.
He said the department could not condone the closures, no matter the reason, as they did more harm than good.
“Our position on the matter remains the same, we cannot condone such illegal acts,” he said.
On the matter of Tipini Junior Secondary, Pulumani urged the school to rethink its decision as they were set to receive palisade fencing from the department in the new financial year, which starts this month.
Commenting on teacher shortages, Pulumani said the department was aware of the serious challenge the situation posed, and was in the process of sorting the shortages out.
“We appreciate the seriousness of the problem but closing the school is not the answer, it just adds to the problem at the end of the day,” he said.
Pulumani said so far about 800 teachers had been redeployed and the process was still ongoing.
The Dispatch has since January reported on 14 school “closures” in the province because of teacher shortages.
Pulumani said no legal action had yet been taken against the schools or communities but the department had taken note of the schools involved. — /
Another four Eastern Cape schools close their doors
This week teaching at four more schools ground to halt – three over a shortage of teachers and one because the department failed to honour promises of fencing the school and providing a security guard.
School governing body (SGB) member Linda Ntlanganiso said there had been no teaching and learning at Sosebenza High School in Lady Frere since Monday.
The school’s teacher shortage has left some classes with no teachers at all, and school integration has almost doubled pupil numbers from about 160 to over 300.
According to Ntlanganiso, angry parents and pupils took to the streets on Monday, closing two other schools in the vicinity as well. Ntlanganiso said pupils went on a rampage, singing loudly and thrashing books at neighbouring schools Rietspruit Senior Primary and St Augustines Junior Secondary.
“So there has basically been no learning at either of these schools since Monday and parents are today meeting with the district director to discuss a way forward,” he said.
Teaching stopped at Tipini Junior Secondary School in Mthatha two weeks ago after the provincial education department failed to provide a fence and a security guard. The promise was made is after a teacher was robbed at knife-point in front of her class last year.
School principal Sandile Madikizela said angry parents had decided to withdraw their children because they didn’t feel safe at the school.
The principal said teachers were worried that pupils had already missed out on two weeks of schooling but argued that the environment was not safe for the staff as well. “We can’t stay here because we just don't feel safe anymore,” Madikizela said.
“The department promised that the issue of fencing and security guards would be sorted out by December last year but that has not happened.
“As a result parents have removed their children and teachers have resolved to report to the district office for now.”
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said they had noted the trend of school closures, which started in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage.
He said the department could not condone the closures, no matter the reason, as they did more harm than good.
“Our position on the matter remains the same, we cannot condone such illegal acts,” he said.
On the matter of Tipini Junior Secondary, Pulumani urged the school to rethink its decision as they were set to receive palisade fencing from the department in the new financial year, which starts this month.
Commenting on teacher shortages, Pulumani said the department was aware of the serious challenge the situation posed, and was in the process of sorting the shortages out.
“We appreciate the seriousness of the problem but closing the school is not the answer, it just adds to the problem at the end of the day,” he said.
Pulumani said so far about 800 teachers had been redeployed and the process was still ongoing.
The Dispatch has since January reported on 14 school “closures” in the province because of teacher shortages.
Pulumani said no legal action had yet been taken against the schools or communities but the department had taken note of the schools involved. — /
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