Pupils from Eric Mntonga High School have been forced to make do without a computer laboratory or library for the past six years, after a freak fire destroyed them – also leaving staff without an administration block or toilets.
According to school governing body (SGB) members, the NU12 school caught fire in September 2011 after municipal workers had dug a trench in the road just outside the school grounds, and left electrical wires exposed.
Rain, followed by lightning, started the fire, which gutted the entire administration block, destroying the offices of the principal and deputy principal along with the staff room, library, strong room, staff toilets and computer lab.
The school was left under-resourced as 21 computers, a large number of library books and study material were lost.
SGB head Ntombekhaya Putuma said they had received nothing but empty promises from the education department. “Since 2012, we have been visiting the education department offices asking for assistance and every time we are told something would be done but nothing ever is.
“The former education superintend general even came here to inspect the damage and he also made promises to fix it but nothing ever changed.”
Additional SGB member Nomalady Gidigidi said pupil numbers were decreasing, which was worrying as the school was the only referral school for special-needs pupils in the area.
Questions were sent to educational department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima but no response had been received at the time of going to print. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Fire-hit school’s long struggle
According to school governing body (SGB) members, the NU12 school caught fire in September 2011 after municipal workers had dug a trench in the road just outside the school grounds, and left electrical wires exposed.
Rain, followed by lightning, started the fire, which gutted the entire administration block, destroying the offices of the principal and deputy principal along with the staff room, library, strong room, staff toilets and computer lab.
The school was left under-resourced as 21 computers, a large number of library books and study material were lost.
SGB head Ntombekhaya Putuma said they had received nothing but empty promises from the education department. “Since 2012, we have been visiting the education department offices asking for assistance and every time we are told something would be done but nothing ever is.
“The former education superintend general even came here to inspect the damage and he also made promises to fix it but nothing ever changed.”
Additional SGB member Nomalady Gidigidi said pupil numbers were decreasing, which was worrying as the school was the only referral school for special-needs pupils in the area.
Questions were sent to educational department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima but no response had been received at the time of going to print. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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