Protest against overcrowding at school
Concerned parents take a stand against Mseki
PARENTS of Mseki Primary School pupils in Gugulethu sacrificed their working day yesterday to protest against the overcrowding in classrooms at the school. Phunyezwa Sonqishe, a disgruntled mom of a Grade 3 child, said: “The Grade 7 class has 65 pupils, which is not conducive for both the teacher and the pupils.”
Sonqishe said teachers were supposed to have about 35 pupils in class in order for them to pay attention to each child.
She said it was difficult for teachers to know which pupil was lacking, and where, because they could not even move around the classroom.
“On Wednesday it was very hot, and you can imagine a class of more than 60 pupils, they had to be sent home before school was finished because they were fainting,” she said. Another parent, Thobeka Malamba, said the school building was old.”The cupboards teachers keep stuff in don’t have doors, the floor has worn-out tiles and the school structure has only two rows,” said Malamba.
She said that because of the age of the building, there was only one Grade 7 class and the pupils were losing interest in schooling. “We are only asking for mobile classes as a temporary solution to this problem at the school.” School principal Philani Marhubela said he saw the parents protesting outside, but classes continued as per normal because the crowd did not disrupt learning. Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Millicent Merton said there had been an increase in the number of pupils at Mseki Primary School.
As a result, some of the classrooms were crowded.
She said their district office would assist the school with teaching strategies to manage large classes.
THERE IN ONLY ONE GRADE 7 CLASS, AND PUPILS ARE LOSING INTEREST IN SCHOOLING