It is two months into the new academic calendar, but pupils at one Eastern Cape school have yet to receive textbooks and chairs.Parents claimed the problems at Sakuphumelela Senior Secondary School in Zalarha near King William’s Town had persisted for two years.
The school was one of 500 identified for closure in 2014 due to low enrolment figures. The closure was published in the government gazette in 2014.
However, parents protested against the move by education MEC Mandla Makupula and the school was reopened that same year.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima yesterday said the department would deliver furniture tomorrow.
“The books will also be delivered before the end of the month as those schools that submitted their requisition forms late are still receiving their books delivery.”
Mtima said the school’s enrolment number stood at 96 last year. This year, it had increased to 127.
“It was still a section 20 school but in 2016 it was declared a section 21 after it applied to be converted to it,” said Mtima.
Section 20 schools are no-fee schools, have their needs paid for directly by the department and are categorised as poor schools with no resources to administer their funds.
Section 21 schools have their finances paid into their accounts by the department and administer it.
The school said the department had indicated that their status would be changed next month.
Parent Victor Moyeni said the department’s King William’s Town district was failing the community.
“We did raise this with a representative sent by the MEC in a meeting on Monday this week that we don’t know what’s happening with that district. We sent requisition forms on time but they never signed those documents.”
Moyeni said the school has not been getting support from the district.
There was also a need for scholar transport for 40 pupils who were travelling a distance of more than 15km from Qomdobowa, a nearby location.
Moyeni said parents were told the school would have to make a submission in October this year to be considered for scholar transport the following year.
Pupils had been using photocopied textbooks and raised funds to buy a photocopying machine.
Two months in and still no textbooks or chairs for pupils
Parents claimed the problems at Sakuphumelela Senior Secondary School in Zalarha near King William’s Town had persisted for two years.
The school was one of 500 identified for closure in 2014 due to low enrolment figures. The closure was published in the government gazette in 2014.
However, parents protested against the move by education MEC Mandla Makupula and the school was reopened that same year.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima yesterday said the department would deliver furniture tomorrow.
“The books will also be delivered before the end of the month as those schools that submitted their requisition forms late are still receiving their books delivery.”
Mtima said the school’s enrolment number stood at 96 last year. This year, it had increased to 127.
“It was still a section 20 school but in 2016 it was declared a section 21 after it applied to be converted to it,” said Mtima.
Section 20 schools are no-fee schools, have their needs paid for directly by the department and are categorised as poor schools with no resources to administer their funds.
Section 21 schools have their finances paid into their accounts by the department and administer it.
The school said the department had indicated that their status would be changed next month.
Parent Victor Moyeni said the department’s King William’s Town district was failing the community.
“We did raise this with a representative sent by the MEC in a meeting on Monday this week that we don’t know what’s happening with that district. We sent requisition forms on time but they never signed those documents.”
Moyeni said the school has not been getting support from the district.
There was also a need for scholar transport for 40 pupils who were travelling a distance of more than 15km from Qomdobowa, a nearby location.
Moyeni said parents were told the school would have to make a submission in October this year to be considered for scholar transport the following year.
Pupils had been using photocopied textbooks and raised funds to buy a photocopying machine.
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