School celebratory swim ends in tragedy

What was meant to be a celebratory swim for top achievers at a King William’s Town primary school turned into a tragedy when a seven-year-old pupil drowned in the school’s swimming pool.

The incident happened around mid-morning on Tuesday at Central Park Primary.

The pupil’s distraught 37year-old father told the Dispatch his daughter had been found floating in the pool.

The father said the family had received a call around 11am from the school telling him that his daughter had drowned.

“When we got to the school she was being resuscitated by paramedics, but it was too late. They couldn’t bring her back to life.

“She was declared dead at the poolside,” said the father.

According to the father, his daughter was among a group of pupils who had been invited to a swim to celebrate their outstanding academic results for the term.

He said a teacher had found “my daughter floating on the water. The teacher jumped into the water and retrieved her”.

The department of education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the department was trying to get a report on the incident.

Eastern Cape education MEC Mlungisi Mvoko issued a statement extending the department's heartfelt condolences.

Mvoko’s said the school held it's Superstars Summer Pool Picnic for 28 pupils at 11am in recognition of learners who had done well academically.

Two teachers including the swimming coach were deployed to supervise the learners. While responding to a report of injury (facial bruising that had occurred earlier) for another Grade R pupil, the supervisors were informed of a pupil swimming face down. When it was clear the child had died, a senior official immediately visited the school and called in additional psychological and counselling services for the pupils and teachers.

He said another team would visit the family.

When we got to the school she was being resuscitated by paramedics, but it was too late