Pupils’ long wait isn’t over just yet

PUPILS at the dilapidated Mount Royal combined satellite school will have to endure their horrid studying conditions for at least another two months before their classrooms are moved to a safe area and repaired.

That is what emerged from a meeting between members of the school governing body and Department of Education officials on Monday night.

The Mercury reported on the school on Monday following a protest by parents, who said it was unsafe and a health hazard.

They demanded it be moved immediately.

The school, which accommodates about 130 pupils from Grades R to 3, is in Mount Moriah near KwaMashu.

The prefab structures are crumbling, there are no doors and most of the windows are gone. There is no electricity – all electrical cables and equipment has allegedly been stolen and sold for scrap.

Its poor state is affecting learning as many pupils do not attend classes when it’s raining or cold.

“The officials arrived with members of the infrastructure team, and told us that they had done their research and know that we have been complaining about the school since 2013,” said the chairman of the school governing body, Jabulani Mthethwa.

“They told us that the prefab structures will be moved to a safer area as soon as exams are finished, around November.”

Mthethwa said parents were not happy about this.

“The department said they could only move the structure in November, which means that the teachers and the children will have to remain there for another two months.

“They told us they were also reluctant to put the doors and the windows back because they feared they would be stolen again.

“They said that once they relocated the structures, they would fix them and add more structures.”

He said the governing body would inform the parents about the outcome of the meeting at the weekend, but members of the governing body were not happy with the developments.

“It is summer now and it going to be raining, and they will be cold.”

He said the department officials had promised them that a proper school would be built in the area next year.

Department of Education spokesman Sihle Mlotshwa said they were still waiting for a full report from the officials.

“We hope the meeting was able to resolve the impasse.”