Schools hard hit by bus strike

COMMUTER schools, where many students rely on public transport, have resorted to cutting school days short and reshuffling time-tables to minimise the impact of the ongoing national bus strike.

The week-long strike that has left thousands of bus commuters stranded has created huge problems for pupils.

Cape Town High School deputy principal Leana Le Breton said her school has decided to close at 2.30pm, as opposed to 3pm.

“We close earlier because of reports from parents that some of the children only get home at 7pm.

“The children stand in long queues at the taxi rank and sometimes trains delay for up to an hour.

“One pupil told me he travels in at least four taxis to get from home to school in the morning,” she said.

Le Breton said most pupils at the school used public transport, and most arrived late, missing the first lesson which is from 8.10am to 9.05am.

She said after-school programmes had been put on hold for the duration of the strike to avoid pupils travelling home late.

“There is a lot of teaching time lost. Matric pupils are affected the most.”

Wittebome High School deputy principal Ramond Trew said more pupils were arriving late for school, as did Pinelands High deputy principal Fadia Hassiem. “It’s a very worrying time,” Hassiem said.