More than 60 primary school children have to endure all types of weather for their lessons since gale force winds destroyed their classroom about a week ago.
Grade 1 pupils at Ngwenyeni Junior Secondary School at KuKhanyayo – about 50km from Flagstaff – are now being taught outside under a tree.
The classroom is in a block that lost its roof to the wind last Thursday. The structure remains unsafe for pupils to use and the school is unable to accommodate the Grade 1s elsewhere.
Ngwenyeni JSS has 743 pupils and each classroom caters to no fewer than 100 pupils.
The Daily Dispatch visited the school yesterday and found the pupils with a small chalkboard balancing under the tree.
By 10am they are covered in dust.
Lakhekhe Bayeni, 7, and her classmates were writing an exam yesterday.
It was warmer than previous days, but there was a lot of dust. Pupils from other grades were outside kicking around a ball, which at times bounced off their desks.
Some pupils were coughing and sneezing while others struggled to write due to the interruptions and the wind.
“It’s bad outside. It’s windy and dusty, hot, sometimes cold. The dust is terrible, blowing in our faces. Children from other grades also make a noise,” said Lakhekhe.
“This is not good. I wish I could spend the day at home or inside a warm classroom with a roof.”
Deputy principal Vusisizwe Mgilane described the conditions as “inhumane”.
“When it is cold, they cannot grasp properly because of the weather conditions. But what can we do? All the classes are overcrowded. We are faced with a crisis here.”
Grade 1 teacher Zovuyo Gagayi said on cold days only a few pupils attended school.
“But we have urged parents to let them wear warm clothes and prepare them for the day.
“We are busy with formal tasks and examinations, and every pupil must write. Some of them have caught colds or have flu,” said Gagayi.
School governing body deputy chairman Bulelani Giyose said the situation was of great concern to the parents.
“They are safe and warm at home, but at school they are exposed to wind, dust, scorching sun and other bad weather conditions.
“This has had an adverse impact on the health of these young souls.
“The government must take immediate action. It is now a week since this roof was ripped off by wind,” Giyose appealed.
He said that the school was old.
“One block was built by the government during the era of KD Matanzima more than 30 years ago.
“Other blocks were erected with sticks, mud and cement by parents decades ago.
“This democratic government has not built us even a single classroom.
“For the past 21 years, we have been urging them to build proper schools but there has been no positive response,” said Giyose.
Eastern Cape education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumane yesterday said they were aware of the school’s predicament and that procurement processes were under way to rebuild it and others affected by natural disasters.
“I can confirm that we have solicited quotations from different service providers so that we can act with urgency in this matter.
“We have received quotations and now we will be undergoing normal procurement processes so that we can determine the service provider,” said Pulumane.
It was not clear when the process would be completed.
Exams written in the dust
Grade 1 pupils at Ngwenyeni Junior Secondary School at KuKhanyayo – about 50km from Flagstaff – are now being taught outside under a tree.
The classroom is in a block that lost its roof to the wind last Thursday. The structure remains unsafe for pupils to use and the school is unable to accommodate the Grade 1s elsewhere.
Ngwenyeni JSS has 743 pupils and each classroom caters to no fewer than 100 pupils.
The Daily Dispatch visited the school yesterday and found the pupils with a small chalkboard balancing under the tree.
By 10am they are covered in dust.
Lakhekhe Bayeni, 7, and her classmates were writing an exam yesterday.
It was warmer than previous days, but there was a lot of dust. Pupils from other grades were outside kicking around a ball, which at times bounced off their desks.
Some pupils were coughing and sneezing while others struggled to write due to the interruptions and the wind.
“It’s bad outside. It’s windy and dusty, hot, sometimes cold. The dust is terrible, blowing in our faces. Children from other grades also make a noise,” said Lakhekhe.
“This is not good. I wish I could spend the day at home or inside a warm classroom with a roof.”
Deputy principal Vusisizwe Mgilane described the conditions as “inhumane”.
“When it is cold, they cannot grasp properly because of the weather conditions. But what can we do? All the classes are overcrowded. We are faced with a crisis here.”
Grade 1 teacher Zovuyo Gagayi said on cold days only a few pupils attended school.
“But we have urged parents to let them wear warm clothes and prepare them for the day.
“We are busy with formal tasks and examinations, and every pupil must write. Some of them have caught colds or have flu,” said Gagayi.
School governing body deputy chairman Bulelani Giyose said the situation was of great concern to the parents.
“They are safe and warm at home, but at school they are exposed to wind, dust, scorching sun and other bad weather conditions.
“This has had an adverse impact on the health of these young souls.
“The government must take immediate action. It is now a week since this roof was ripped off by wind,” Giyose appealed.
He said that the school was old.
“One block was built by the government during the era of KD Matanzima more than 30 years ago.
“Other blocks were erected with sticks, mud and cement by parents decades ago.
“This democratic government has not built us even a single classroom.
“For the past 21 years, we have been urging them to build proper schools but there has been no positive response,” said Giyose.
Eastern Cape education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumane yesterday said they were aware of the school’s predicament and that procurement processes were under way to rebuild it and others affected by natural disasters.
“I can confirm that we have solicited quotations from different service providers so that we can act with urgency in this matter.
“We have received quotations and now we will be undergoing normal procurement processes so that we can determine the service provider,” said Pulumane.
It was not clear when the process would be completed.
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