Pupils disrupt classes over lack of furniture
‘We are forced to use our laps to write in books’
Matric pupils tired of sitting on the floor and writing with books on their laps shut down their school, demanding that the department of education deliver furniture and deal with ageing infrastructure as well as overcrowding.
This led to schooling getting disrupted at Setumo Khiba high in Mabopane Block B, in Tshwane, yesterday.
When Sowetan arrived at the school, pupils were outside the yards, protesting peacefully.
Their parents and community members joined them. They said they have been facing these challenges for the past five years.
Omphile Mabowa, a learner, told Sowetan that they are experiencing severe overcrowding and congestion in classrooms. She explained that they do not have enough chairs and tables.
“We are forced to write on our laps, you find that a chair has to be shared by two leaners while other learners use broken tables to sit on,” she said.
“Sometimes other learners sit on the floor in a classroom with broken windows during winter season,” said Mabowa.
Furthermore, she said they go to class on empty stomachs as the school nutrition programme was not up to scratch.
“I am an epilepsy patient and I am at risk of collapsing out of hunger while the school has a feeding scheme programme. We ’want food. The school doesn t offer enough food for learners.
“We demand that the department of education deliver mobile classrooms in three days or matric pupils will not enter the school premises,” she said, adding that they must also fix their sports grounds.
“We need 200 chairs and 100 tables before” the start, said June Mabowa. examinations
Another pupil, Mpho Malebe, said not having a school bus is affecting them a lot as they have to get early for morning classes and leave the school late in the evening for extra classes.
“There are learners who come from as far as Winterveldt who have to walk to school,” she said, adding that their safety is not prioritised.
“We urge the government to do the right thing to avoid more delays on learning programmes,” said Malebe.
Nkipho Nkwinika from Mabopane has a daughter in Grade 11 at the school.
“There are over 70 learners in a classroom. This is really unacceptable,” she said.
“We need urgent intervention from government, they should at least deliver demo classrooms so that the numbers may decrease in classrooms.”
School governing body chairperson Kedibone Maleka could not avail herself for comment after Sowetan waited for her for over two hours as she said she was in a meeting. Later, her phone went unanswered and she did not respond to a text message sent to her.
Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department had ordered furniture for the school, which will be delivered this week.