Pupils have nowhere to write exams

School burnt down over demand for a new one

The North West pupils who burnt down their school last week could write their final exams out in the open.

Pupils at Phiri Secondary School in Ventersdorp burnt down their school last week, demanding that a new one be built.

The 374 pupils from Grades 8 to 12 said even though they received a 90.3% pass rate last year, they were not happy with their learning conditions. The school does not have a science laboratory, flushing toilets, sports facilities and decent structures. The pupils use mobile classes which they said were overcrowded. The classrooms are owned by a private company.

Grade 12 pupil Mzwakhe Malaza said he was not worried about where he would write his exams from.

“We fought for our younger sisters and brothers, they need to get an education in a better learning environment,” he said.

In May, pupils got angry after learning that the mobile classrooms did not belong to the department because the owner was threatening to take them away.

The pupils said the department had promised to build a new school last month but nothing had happened.

School governing body chairwoman, Lala Melado, said there would be a meeting today to discuss the matter.

“We hope that tomorrow [today] we will find a place that can accommodate all [pupils]. We want them to write their final examinations,” she said.

North West education department spokesman Freddy Sepeng said they had advertised a tender for construction of the school.