The Bhisho administration faced its first challenge this year amid an ongoing process to close schools which have too few pupils.
The rationalisation of schools was at the centre of Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle’s message following the province’s dismal matric results last year.
He said the education department had to deal with 2000 unviable schools in the province to improve an ailing education system.
Yesterday, scores of parents and pupils from Ilitha township’s Nomfuneko Lower Primary, packed in four minibus taxis, descended on the Eastern Cape education headquarters in Zwelitsha in protest.
They claimed the department was attempting a ploy to “forcefully” merge their school by instructing that pupils from their Grade 5 class be removed from the school.
Parents, who spoke to the Daily Dispatch, said this was part of a broader plan to merge Nomfuneka with Ilitha Higher Primary. The schools are right next to each other and are separated by a fence.
A delegation of 10 parents from Nomfuneko met with education officials and afterwards provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department had agreed to allow pupils to return to Nomfuneko.
Mtima said: “There will be a meeting on Thursday to discuss this further. Pupils will continue learning in the meantime.”
This comes after the department told Nomfuneko to release pupils from their Grade 5 class, which was set up this year after only running from Grade R to 4.
Nomfuneko school governing body member Fatima Shaibo confirmed that the department had allegedly backtracked from its initial position.
Shaibo said there were about 40 pupils in Grade 5.
This comes barely two weeks after Masualle, during an unannounced visit at the education department’s head office, demanded a report from planning, evaluation and monitoring deputy director Philiswa Mdikane.
Masualle demanded that the report, which had to set out details of infrastructure issues affecting schools, be handed to him on Wednesday last week.
Part of the report had to explain how the province would deal with 2000 unviable schools.
In the past, the province indicated that these small schools would be merged with those with higher numbers and would do away with lower and higher primary schools.
Building new school hostels were also touted as a solution to house pupils from different schools and areas.
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani confirmed that the report was submitted to Masualle’s office but provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo would not confirm or deny whether the report was submitted.
He promised to comment later, but a response had not been received at the time of writing. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Parents challenge school merger plan
The rationalisation of schools was at the centre of Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle’s message following the province’s dismal matric results last year.
He said the education department had to deal with 2000 unviable schools in the province to improve an ailing education system.
Yesterday, scores of parents and pupils from Ilitha township’s Nomfuneko Lower Primary, packed in four minibus taxis, descended on the Eastern Cape education headquarters in Zwelitsha in protest.
They claimed the department was attempting a ploy to “forcefully” merge their school by instructing that pupils from their Grade 5 class be removed from the school.
Parents, who spoke to the Daily Dispatch, said this was part of a broader plan to merge Nomfuneka with Ilitha Higher Primary. The schools are right next to each other and are separated by a fence.
A delegation of 10 parents from Nomfuneko met with education officials and afterwards provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department had agreed to allow pupils to return to Nomfuneko.
Mtima said: “There will be a meeting on Thursday to discuss this further. Pupils will continue learning in the meantime.”
This comes after the department told Nomfuneko to release pupils from their Grade 5 class, which was set up this year after only running from Grade R to 4.
Nomfuneko school governing body member Fatima Shaibo confirmed that the department had allegedly backtracked from its initial position.
Shaibo said there were about 40 pupils in Grade 5.
This comes barely two weeks after Masualle, during an unannounced visit at the education department’s head office, demanded a report from planning, evaluation and monitoring deputy director Philiswa Mdikane.
Masualle demanded that the report, which had to set out details of infrastructure issues affecting schools, be handed to him on Wednesday last week.
Part of the report had to explain how the province would deal with 2000 unviable schools.
In the past, the province indicated that these small schools would be merged with those with higher numbers and would do away with lower and higher primary schools.
Building new school hostels were also touted as a solution to house pupils from different schools and areas.
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani confirmed that the report was submitted to Masualle’s office but provincial government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo would not confirm or deny whether the report was submitted.
He promised to comment later, but a response had not been received at the time of writing. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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