Pupils from four villages in Peddie, including Grade Rs, have to walk about 30km to and from school and cross two streams that overflow when it rains.
About 30 pupils from Tyityaba Lower and Higher Primary School have to walk from Woodridge village as they are yet to benefit from government’s scholar transport programme.
This despite parents of pupils from Woodridge, Ntamibomvu, Leqeni and Zwelitsha village claiming they have applied for scholar transport.
However, the education department has said their records show that the pupils are some of the thousands who do benefit from free transportation to schools.
One parent, Thozama Nondini, said their nearest school in Hoyi village was closed a couple of years ago and pupils were transferred to Tyityaba.
“We questioned this move by the department of education and they promised that the kids will be safe and will have scholar transport.
“Today we are here with these kids as they can’t attend school . Imagine how we feel about this. It’s painful to see your children not attending school, you are like a failure,” said Nondini.
Another parent, Nobathini Hlekani, said two years ago frustrated parents held the Tyityaba school principal captive, demanding scholar transport.
“All we want is to get these children to the classroom, we don’t want violence. With the child support grant we are getting, it’s difficult for us to pay private scholar transporters while in other areas government is doing this for free,” said Hlekani.
On Monday, parents took a Daily Dispatch team to one of the streams which pupils have to cross every day to and from school.
They have to jump over rocks and murky waters to walk the 30km gravel road. At times, they take risky shortcuts through bushes to get to school on time, trying to beat the one-and-a-half hour walk to school.
Lulama Swapi said it was a huge stress for parents, adding that pupils also had to brave bad weather.
The parents said a couple of years ago, two pupils were murdered on their way home from school, while another was struck dead by lightning.
At the time, there was no scholar transport for the pupils.
“Each time these kids walk we recall what happened at this area. We urgently need help from government,” said Nondini.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said that “according to our coordinators, those who have applied for scholar transport are being transported to school”.
He questioned whether the parents had applied for scholar transport.
Nondini confirmed the parents had applied for scholar transport. —
bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Pupils traverse unsafe 30km to school
About 30 pupils from Tyityaba Lower and Higher Primary School have to walk from Woodridge village as they are yet to benefit from government’s scholar transport programme.
This despite parents of pupils from Woodridge, Ntamibomvu, Leqeni and Zwelitsha village claiming they have applied for scholar transport.
However, the education department has said their records show that the pupils are some of the thousands who do benefit from free transportation to schools.
One parent, Thozama Nondini, said their nearest school in Hoyi village was closed a couple of years ago and pupils were transferred to Tyityaba.
“We questioned this move by the department of education and they promised that the kids will be safe and will have scholar transport.
“Today we are here with these kids as they can’t attend school . Imagine how we feel about this. It’s painful to see your children not attending school, you are like a failure,” said Nondini.
Another parent, Nobathini Hlekani, said two years ago frustrated parents held the Tyityaba school principal captive, demanding scholar transport.
“All we want is to get these children to the classroom, we don’t want violence. With the child support grant we are getting, it’s difficult for us to pay private scholar transporters while in other areas government is doing this for free,” said Hlekani.
On Monday, parents took a Daily Dispatch team to one of the streams which pupils have to cross every day to and from school.
They have to jump over rocks and murky waters to walk the 30km gravel road. At times, they take risky shortcuts through bushes to get to school on time, trying to beat the one-and-a-half hour walk to school.
Lulama Swapi said it was a huge stress for parents, adding that pupils also had to brave bad weather.
The parents said a couple of years ago, two pupils were murdered on their way home from school, while another was struck dead by lightning.
At the time, there was no scholar transport for the pupils.
“Each time these kids walk we recall what happened at this area. We urgently need help from government,” said Nondini.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said that “according to our coordinators, those who have applied for scholar transport are being transported to school”.
He questioned whether the parents had applied for scholar transport.
Nondini confirmed the parents had applied for scholar transport. —
bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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