Bhisho probe into dire state of 11 schools
WITH its very last plumbing pipes being plundered and only one tap – connected to a hastily installed rubber tube – to cater for about 900 pupils, Lungisa High School pupils are being forced to relieve themselves along its boundary fence.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg for the impoverished KwaDwesi institution, which has been wracked by a string of setbacks.
Consequently, the Department of Education is setting up an investigation team to attend to the dilapidated school and 10 others like it, where concerns have been raised not only over water supply and unsanitary conditions, but also allegations of corporal punishment, security issues and absent teachers.
After Lungisa High’s final pipes were stolen early last month, water supply to the toilets stopped, resulting in the school closing two hours earlier every day because of the unsanitary conditions, deputy principal Sithembiso Nekile said.
The school has also been broken into several times since the start of the year, with everything from computers, electrical circuits, lighting and a month’s worth of school nutrition supplies being stolen.
The deplorable conditions had led to high pupil and staff absenteeism, Nekile said.
“This year alone, the school has been broken into at least 10 times and more than 40 computers have been stolen.”
“They [burglars] came through the roof and stole all of the electrical circuitry and all the water pipes.
“So we have water and electricity but we can’t use it.
“Another concern is the toilets. It is dehumanising for pupils or staff to use those toilets,” Nekile said.
“So the school is forced to close early. “We only have one tap for drinking water, which is connected to a rubber tube installed last week because the previous pipe was also stolen.
“Safety is a huge issue at the school as we are yet to receive the new fencing.
“And now that these ladies also have to relieve themselves along the boundary fence, this raises issues of them possibly being attacked and raped.”
The Bhisho decision to launch a probe comes after years of relentless investigation, confrontation and follow-ups by Artworks for Youth founder John Lombardo with schools in the district and the department.
Lombardo, who has been running extra classes and art programmes in the area for about 15 years, said the 40 high school pupils – representing 11 schools – in his
They came through the roof and stole all the electrical circuitry
programme highlighted the serious issues daily.
“This type of abuse has been going on for years, and my complaints have been falling on deaf ears,” he said.
“Some of these children haven’t even met their register class teacher – and it’s already February.
“Daily, these children experience corporal punishment, major safety issues including being robbed while walking to and from school, unsanitary toilets, and one of the biggest problems is the absenteeism by the teachers in school.”
At the Artworks for Youth zinc container, affected pupils spoke of daily free periods at school, being forced to kneel throughout classes for being late and being verbally abused repeatedly by teachers.
However, Nekile said the school did not condone such behaviour and he denied any knowledge of corporal punishment.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said: “I have spoken to the district director and am able to confirm that a team will be set up to investigate the allegations of corporal punishment, infrastructure and absenteeism.
“The team will be set up by the end of this month.”