Police have responded to a plea from more than 500 high school pupils from Mbulelo Benekane Senior Secondary with a donation of 340 chairs to the school yesterday.
The school is in Ramnyiba village, just outside King William’s Town.
Two years ago, the Daily Dispatch reported about the severe shortage of desks at the school, which led to daily altercations among pupils as they fought over chairs.
Pupils sat on each other’s laps or on paint tins during class.
Yesterday, the mood at the school was upbeat as police from the All Saints Detective Academy arrived with a truckload of chairs.
Colonel Khanyisa Ndyoko, from All Saints, said that in 2015 the academy visited three rural schools around King William’s Town and after comparing their situations, decided to adopt Mbulelo Benekane.
“After engaging the principal and staff members it was brought to our attention that they have multiple challenges, including a shortage of chairs for pupils.
“We made a presentation to Liberty Life in East London about the shortage, and after all the formal processes were followed by both parties, 340 chairs were delivered by the service provider to All Saints in January,” said Ndyoko.
Ndyoko said what motivated the police was the fact that despite pupils sitting on three-legged chairs or on each others’ laps, the school still managed to achieve good pass rates.
“Despite this challenge, the pupils at the school are eager to learn and that has shown in their matric pass rate,” said Ndyoko.
In 2015, the pass rate at this school was 80% and 77% in 2016.
Maths and English teacher Monwabisi Zweni described how much time was wasted with fights over chairs.
“By the time the scramble is over, you realise half the lesson is gone,” said Zweni.
School principal Nombuyekezo Nogcantsi, who has been at the school for almost three decades, said the chairs would be a great help in improving the learning and teaching environment.
“No amount of words can describe the joy that I feel today. This means there will be less fights over seats and more teaching,” said Nogcantsi. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
Cops organise chairs for pupils
The school is in Ramnyiba village, just outside King William’s Town.
Two years ago, the Daily Dispatch reported about the severe shortage of desks at the school, which led to daily altercations among pupils as they fought over chairs.
Pupils sat on each other’s laps or on paint tins during class.
Yesterday, the mood at the school was upbeat as police from the All Saints Detective Academy arrived with a truckload of chairs.
Colonel Khanyisa Ndyoko, from All Saints, said that in 2015 the academy visited three rural schools around King William’s Town and after comparing their situations, decided to adopt Mbulelo Benekane.
“After engaging the principal and staff members it was brought to our attention that they have multiple challenges, including a shortage of chairs for pupils.
“We made a presentation to Liberty Life in East London about the shortage, and after all the formal processes were followed by both parties, 340 chairs were delivered by the service provider to All Saints in January,” said Ndyoko.
Ndyoko said what motivated the police was the fact that despite pupils sitting on three-legged chairs or on each others’ laps, the school still managed to achieve good pass rates.
“Despite this challenge, the pupils at the school are eager to learn and that has shown in their matric pass rate,” said Ndyoko.
In 2015, the pass rate at this school was 80% and 77% in 2016.
Maths and English teacher Monwabisi Zweni described how much time was wasted with fights over chairs.
“By the time the scramble is over, you realise half the lesson is gone,” said Zweni.
School principal Nombuyekezo Nogcantsi, who has been at the school for almost three decades, said the chairs would be a great help in improving the learning and teaching environment.
“No amount of words can describe the joy that I feel today. This means there will be less fights over seats and more teaching,” said Nogcantsi. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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