Scores pupils are writing exams in their desks plonked in rows under the sky with hills in the background at a top-performing school in the rural Eastern Cape.
Many of the 200 pupils at the community-built Xhentse Senior Secondary School in Libode are forced into the open when the three tiny classrooms they share just cannot cope and there is an overflow, such as during exam times.
This scene, witnessed by the Dispatch, comes amid promises from Eastern Cape education bosses to build them a proper school – five years ago.
The Dispatch visited the school near Maqhingeni village after a photo posted on social networks by one of the country’s prominent education advocacy groups, Equal Education, went viral last week.
In the photo a group of schoolchildren from Xhentse can be seen busy writing their exams outside against a background of green rolling hills.
It is true, pupils and staff said. A number of pupils at Xhentse are writing their year-end exams under the open sky, come wind, rain, blazing heat – and shouts from passersby.
Education authorities yesterday told the Dispatch they were aware of the situation at Xhentse.
School principal Fikile Qoyi confirmed that the photo was of Grade 10 pupils and was taken by Equal Education officials visiting the school last Monday.
This was not the first time exams were written without any shelter from the climate, said Qoyi.
“The problem always starts when pupils have to sit for their September trial exams. Grade 12s occupy at least two classes and the other grades have to make way for them,” he said.
“When it rains we have to send them home early or even when it is too hot. This has been the norm for a number of years now.”
Xhentse, which is classified as a no-fee school by government, has 221 pupils on its books this year. It was built by parents whose children were forced to attend high schools in far-off areas like Victor Poto 30km away.
Despite the fact that parents were only able to raise money to build three tiny classrooms and an additional classroom, which has been converted into a staff room, the school has been one of the top performing schools in the Libode area for several years when it comes to matric results.
Three years ago it attained an 83% matric pass rate, but the harsh conditions have worn down the school and the results dropped to 57% last year.
Qoyi said enrolment figures, up at 261 pupils three years ago, declined to 230 last year.
“We have no choice but to force these children to write outside when all grades are writing on the same day. Even the classrooms are not safe because they leak.”
He said they had tried to get government to build them a proper school for years.
“Sometimes we get told that we are on the infrastructure priority list but nothing ever happens,” he said.
Grade 11 pupil Zusiphe Mgwebi, 17, said it was difficult to write exams in the open because other children who passed near the school shouted at them, causing distraction.
She said it was so dire that many pupils forced to sit outside raced through their exams to try and find shelter.
School governing body chairwoman Nosayinile Madolo said their hopes of getting a proper school for their children had faded.
“We don’t think they value the education of our children at all,” she said.
However, provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department was finalising plans to address “challenges” at Xhentse and other schools.
“The school infrastructure backlog of this province is still huge but we are committed to delivering all amenities required for teaching and learning to happen in a conducive environment.”
Equal Education general secretary Tshepo Motsepe said the situation experienced at Xhentse was the “willful” failure on the part of politicians and senior government officials.
It defied logic that the provincial department had failed to spend over R500-million meant for infrastructure development in schools, Motsepe said.
“Equal Education visited a number of schools in different districts in the Eastern Cape and we saw the reality of the violation of the school infrastructure law. We saw classrooms constructed of zinc, wood and mud and schools without any water or electricity at all,” said Motsepe. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Forced out in the open
Many of the 200 pupils at the community-built Xhentse Senior Secondary School in Libode are forced into the open when the three tiny classrooms they share just cannot cope and there is an overflow, such as during exam times.
This scene, witnessed by the Dispatch, comes amid promises from Eastern Cape education bosses to build them a proper school – five years ago.
The Dispatch visited the school near Maqhingeni village after a photo posted on social networks by one of the country’s prominent education advocacy groups, Equal Education, went viral last week.
In the photo a group of schoolchildren from Xhentse can be seen busy writing their exams outside against a background of green rolling hills.
It is true, pupils and staff said. A number of pupils at Xhentse are writing their year-end exams under the open sky, come wind, rain, blazing heat – and shouts from passersby.
Education authorities yesterday told the Dispatch they were aware of the situation at Xhentse.
School principal Fikile Qoyi confirmed that the photo was of Grade 10 pupils and was taken by Equal Education officials visiting the school last Monday.
This was not the first time exams were written without any shelter from the climate, said Qoyi.
“The problem always starts when pupils have to sit for their September trial exams. Grade 12s occupy at least two classes and the other grades have to make way for them,” he said.
“When it rains we have to send them home early or even when it is too hot. This has been the norm for a number of years now.”
Xhentse, which is classified as a no-fee school by government, has 221 pupils on its books this year. It was built by parents whose children were forced to attend high schools in far-off areas like Victor Poto 30km away.
Despite the fact that parents were only able to raise money to build three tiny classrooms and an additional classroom, which has been converted into a staff room, the school has been one of the top performing schools in the Libode area for several years when it comes to matric results.
Three years ago it attained an 83% matric pass rate, but the harsh conditions have worn down the school and the results dropped to 57% last year.
Qoyi said enrolment figures, up at 261 pupils three years ago, declined to 230 last year.
“We have no choice but to force these children to write outside when all grades are writing on the same day. Even the classrooms are not safe because they leak.”
He said they had tried to get government to build them a proper school for years.
“Sometimes we get told that we are on the infrastructure priority list but nothing ever happens,” he said.
Grade 11 pupil Zusiphe Mgwebi, 17, said it was difficult to write exams in the open because other children who passed near the school shouted at them, causing distraction.
She said it was so dire that many pupils forced to sit outside raced through their exams to try and find shelter.
School governing body chairwoman Nosayinile Madolo said their hopes of getting a proper school for their children had faded.
“We don’t think they value the education of our children at all,” she said.
However, provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department was finalising plans to address “challenges” at Xhentse and other schools.
“The school infrastructure backlog of this province is still huge but we are committed to delivering all amenities required for teaching and learning to happen in a conducive environment.”
Equal Education general secretary Tshepo Motsepe said the situation experienced at Xhentse was the “willful” failure on the part of politicians and senior government officials.
It defied logic that the provincial department had failed to spend over R500-million meant for infrastructure development in schools, Motsepe said.
“Equal Education visited a number of schools in different districts in the Eastern Cape and we saw the reality of the violation of the school infrastructure law. We saw classrooms constructed of zinc, wood and mud and schools without any water or electricity at all,” said Motsepe. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos