School forced to close doors

Glenrose Sidu has worked in the kitchens of Bishop Bavin School, a private institution in Johannesburg, for the past 21 years.

Her 16-year-old son Loyiso had a scholarship to attend the school but now, she says “the future of my child has just gone down the drain”.

Staff, parents and pupils have been left in the dark after the school announced it would close its doors, seemingly for financial reasons.

On an icy morning in near zero-degree weather yesterday, they staged a peaceful demonstration outside the school to call on the education department to intervene.

As a parent and staff member, Sidu said they were not given any time to try make other arrangements.

“We were told last week Thursday that our job is finished after 21 years of serving the school,” she said.

“The worst part is they did not give us time to look for alternative schools because my son got a scholarship for five years but now he is sitting at home and doing nothing. I can’t find another school for him because I am currently unemployed.”

Eudoxia Mzizi, a secretary who worked at the school for almost 23 years and whose son also attended the school in Grade 9, said they had not received any financial compensation following the closure.

“Right now, I am left with no school for my son because we are not getting severance packages, apparently. They say the school is broke,” she said through the tears.

“I have no plan for my son

… I don’ t know where to take him. I have no money,” she added.

Mzizi lives on the school property and was told she needed to vacate her room within three months.

“The only reason I could afford to have my son here was because I work here and I have a room here on the property. Otherwise, I have no plan to take him to any other school – private or otherwise,” she said.

Even if he was accepted at another school, Mzizi said she had no money for uniforms or books

“We don’ t even have food. We rely on parents to bring us food parcels here.

“That’s how we survive at the moment, because for two months we haven’ t been getting paid and we were just told we were not getting paid for June as well.”

The school had not responded to requests for comment. –News24 Wire

Right now, I am left with no school for my son because we are not getting severance packages, apparently.

Eudoxia Mzizi

Staffer, Bishop Bavin School