Schooling was disrupted for pupils from Bhongweni and Fort Grey yesterday when angry parents removed them from scholar transport buses.
The parents demanded that the government build a school in their community. Their children attend school at Overton Primary, more than 20km from their homes.
The pupils are transported to school, but at times are forced to walk through bush to and from school.
Parents claim many pupils have fallen victim to crime.
The Buffalo Pass Road had to be closed for about an hour yesterday as pupils, some as young as six, blocked the road using anything they could lay their hands on.
Some carried placards demanding that a school be built in Bhongweni. Parents said they had been waiting for far too long for a school to be built close to their homes.
Parent Nozuko Tibi claimed more than 70% of pupils who attended Overton Primary were from Bhongweni and Fort Grey.
“Why now do we have to see our children travelling the distance, while government can build a school in this community? We want this school here,” said Tibi.
Jeanett Mlilwana said temporary structures could also solve the problem. “The main thing here is to see them studying in their community, where they will be safe. We don’t want to see a situation where one of these kids are injured before we can wake up,” said Mlilwana.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said officials were attending to the demands from the community.
Mlilwana said many of the children were very young and had to wake up at 5am to prepare for school. “We want these people to take a decision now, and bring that school here.”
Yesterday, only a few pupils attended school. Each class had fewer than 10 pupils, and they could be seen loitering at the school premises.
Overton Primary’s school governing body chairwoman, Xoliswa Sokutu, said the protest would continue throughout the week until authorities attended to their demands.
“It must be clear that we are not doing this for the fun of it; we want this school here. Buffalo City Metro officials and our ward councillor know that we want the school.
“BCM must release this land for the benefit of these kids; we don’t want to lose donors because of politics.”
Ward councillor Sindile Toni said: “We are attending to this school problem as the leadership, but yesterday they failed to talk to us, only to hear that they’ve closed roads. We also need to voice it out loud that we are not supporting the use of young children protests.”
Video: Parents demand school be built close to their homes
The parents demanded that the government build a school in their community. Their children attend school at Overton Primary, more than 20km from their homes.
The pupils are transported to school, but at times are forced to walk through bush to and from school.
Parents claim many pupils have fallen victim to crime.
The Buffalo Pass Road had to be closed for about an hour yesterday as pupils, some as young as six, blocked the road using anything they could lay their hands on.
Some carried placards demanding that a school be built in Bhongweni. Parents said they had been waiting for far too long for a school to be built close to their homes.
Parent Nozuko Tibi claimed more than 70% of pupils who attended Overton Primary were from Bhongweni and Fort Grey.
“Why now do we have to see our children travelling the distance, while government can build a school in this community? We want this school here,” said Tibi.
Jeanett Mlilwana said temporary structures could also solve the problem. “The main thing here is to see them studying in their community, where they will be safe. We don’t want to see a situation where one of these kids are injured before we can wake up,” said Mlilwana.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said officials were attending to the demands from the community.
Mlilwana said many of the children were very young and had to wake up at 5am to prepare for school. “We want these people to take a decision now, and bring that school here.”
Yesterday, only a few pupils attended school. Each class had fewer than 10 pupils, and they could be seen loitering at the school premises.
Overton Primary’s school governing body chairwoman, Xoliswa Sokutu, said the protest would continue throughout the week until authorities attended to their demands.
“It must be clear that we are not doing this for the fun of it; we want this school here. Buffalo City Metro officials and our ward councillor know that we want the school.
“BCM must release this land for the benefit of these kids; we don’t want to lose donors because of politics.”
Ward councillor Sindile Toni said: “We are attending to this school problem as the leadership, but yesterday they failed to talk to us, only to hear that they’ve closed roads. We also need to voice it out loud that we are not supporting the use of young children protests.”
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