No end to school challenges
A LACK of personnel, overcrowded schools and an interdict are some of the challenges that the Department of Education is already facing at the start of the school year.
A group of Lucretia Primary educators have embarked on a stayaway pending an interdict before the Northern Cape High Court on Thursday to stop the restructuring process at Roodepan schools.
Educators were issued with letters to relocate to Pescodia Secondary School. They are opposed to moving to a school with meagre resources where they will be expected to occupy mobile classrooms.
They were apparently threat- ened with arrest last week when they refused to vacate the Lucretia Primary premises.
It is believed that, as a result, there is a shortage of teachers at Pescodia Secondary School due to an influx of learners.
Provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, Sipho Mayonga, indicated that the union had met with the MEC for Education last week and that the union expected the matter to be resolved before the end of the week.
Emamnuel High School in Homevale had to make room for an additional 150 learners who were placed on the waiting list. As a result 50 learners are now being accommodated in a classroom.
Provincial Secretary of the Suid-afrikaanse Onderwys Unie, Hermie van der Merwe, said the department had not been forthcoming over the appointment of a principal at Hoërskool Kathu.
“The school governing board recommended a candidate but the department has not responded as to why no one has been appointed or if they have accepted or declined the candidate.”
He explained that the previous principal had been transferred to another school.
Van der Merwe added that due to the shortage of Afrikaans educators, especially in outlying areas, learners were not receiving the necessary attention.
“At the Ikhaya Senior Primary in Richmond the Afrikaans instruction classes have up to 45 learners in a class compared to the English medium classes that are populated with up to 25 learners.”
He said 16 teachers stood to be retrenched from Elizabeth Conradie School.
“I approached the Department of Education but have not managed to obtain any clarity on their job security and have not received any feedback. It is worrying that special needs schools are being denied ed- ucators and the therapeutic services that are a necessity.”
Van der Merwe added that there was only one physiotherapist who was contracted to the Department of Education.
Spokesman for the Ministry of Education, Sydney Stander, pointed out that, as in previous years, there were children who had not been placed in a school yet.
“This is due to several reasons, including choice of schools, late applications, slowness in resolving disputes regarding placements and subject combinations.”
He added that there was generally a greater demand for English medium schools.
“Surrounding areas such as Barkly West, Warrenton, Jan Kempdorp and Delportshoop have no English medium schools and this is something that the department will look into more robustly.”
Stander stated that unexpected growth at schools as well as the impact it had on teaching needs, were being handled on a case-by-case basis. He declined to comment on the Lucretia Primary debacle, explaining that the department had reported “extensively on the issue”.