TEACHERS at a rural school damaged by a storm two months ago have turned to residents for help.
The department of education reportedly promised to fix classrooms damaged at Old Bunting Junior Second School in Ngquba village in Ngqeleni. But work has not yet started.
Teachers have now approached residents in the village to open their homes for classes while some grades have been moved to another school about a kilometre away.
The Dispatch reported in April how the storm swept through villages in Ngqeleni leaving a trail of destruction and almost killing two young pupils from the school.
At least seven classrooms were extensively damaged leaving hundreds of pupils without classes. Some grades were forced to have lessons outdoors, according to principal Mxolelwa Jacob.
When contacted at the time, the department assured the school that it was in the process of appointing a service provider to fix the school.
Department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani was quoted as saying: “We are waiting for quotations from potential service providers, to evaluate and award a contract.” But more than two months later, nothing has happened.
Jacob said that to date, only a site inspection had been carried out to determine the extent of the damage. “In the meantime we are using people’s houses as classes, while other grades have been moved to Dilizintaba Primary School about a kilometre away.
“Only a few grades are being taught in classrooms that were not damaged.”
The principal said he was finding it difficult to manage things because of the current situation.
“You can’t manage a school that is scattered all over the place,” he added.
Pulumani yesterday attributed the renovation delay at the school to “excessively” high-priced quotations from service providers.
“The initial quotations received from service providers were too high and went beyond the scope of the work that we actually wanted done at the school,” he said, adding that the department had since accepted another quotation which was in the final stages of approval.
He said he expected the quotation to be approved by tomorrow, and wanted to fast-track the process to ensure the contractor was on site at least by next week
“What is urgent is that they put the roofing back on the classrooms so that the pupils can go back to their school,” said Pulumani. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
‘High quotes’ delay repairs to school
The department of education reportedly promised to fix classrooms damaged at Old Bunting Junior Second School in Ngquba village in Ngqeleni. But work has not yet started.
Teachers have now approached residents in the village to open their homes for classes while some grades have been moved to another school about a kilometre away.
The Dispatch reported in April how the storm swept through villages in Ngqeleni leaving a trail of destruction and almost killing two young pupils from the school.
At least seven classrooms were extensively damaged leaving hundreds of pupils without classes. Some grades were forced to have lessons outdoors, according to principal Mxolelwa Jacob.
When contacted at the time, the department assured the school that it was in the process of appointing a service provider to fix the school.
Department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani was quoted as saying: “We are waiting for quotations from potential service providers, to evaluate and award a contract.” But more than two months later, nothing has happened.
Jacob said that to date, only a site inspection had been carried out to determine the extent of the damage. “In the meantime we are using people’s houses as classes, while other grades have been moved to Dilizintaba Primary School about a kilometre away.
“Only a few grades are being taught in classrooms that were not damaged.”
The principal said he was finding it difficult to manage things because of the current situation.
“You can’t manage a school that is scattered all over the place,” he added.
Pulumani yesterday attributed the renovation delay at the school to “excessively” high-priced quotations from service providers.
“The initial quotations received from service providers were too high and went beyond the scope of the work that we actually wanted done at the school,” he said, adding that the department had since accepted another quotation which was in the final stages of approval.
He said he expected the quotation to be approved by tomorrow, and wanted to fast-track the process to ensure the contractor was on site at least by next week
“What is urgent is that they put the roofing back on the classrooms so that the pupils can go back to their school,” said Pulumani. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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