Torched classrooms blow
No funds to rebuild school’s four computer labs destroyed after arsonists set them on fire
ANGRY parents are concerned about the safety and education of their children following a fire at Tokelo Secondary School in Small Farm, Evaton, that destroyed four computer labs.
Parents, police officers and pupils were scattered around the premises after alleged arsonists set the school alight yesterday morning.
Gauteng Education MEC and current acting Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi expressed his disappointment at the incident, which left four ICT classrooms on the first floor of a block of eight classes burnt to ashes.
“Sadly, pupil materials and new stock temporarily stored in one room were all destroyed by the fire. The loss is estimated at R4 million,” said department spokesperson Steve Mabona.
Parent Mapuleng Dhlamini told The Star there had been another fire at the school early last year.
“These people are ruining our children’s futures,” she said.
Dhlamini added that her cousin, whose daughter attends the school, would try to take her child to another school in the area when the academic year starts on January 15.
One pupil, however, said the other school in the area didn’t want to accept pupil from Tokelo Secondary School because of their alleged bad behaviour.
Another parent, Brenda Mhlapho, said she had heard about the fire and brought her son and daughter to the school to see the damage.
“This is painful because our children will be going back to school soon and what these people (arsonists) are doing isn’t right,” Mhlapho said.
She added that the fire that occurred last year was smaller than the blaze that occurred yesterday.
In September, a 17-year-old pupil from the school was fatally stabbed by a 14-year-old schoolmate following a scuffle.
It was alleged that the two boys were fighting over a cellphone and the scuffle led to the victim dying at the scene with a knife in his chest.
“Again! Again! We had to come to the school again because something has happened.
“You can see that our children are not safe in this school,” said another parent, who asked to remain anonymous.
Mabona said Emergency Management Services (EMS) firefighters were dispatched in the early morning and managed to extinguished the fire.
He added that engineers would help the department determine which part of the block could be used, and that according to the fire marshal at the scene, the blaze was the product of arson.
The police were also on scene and were investigating the matter.
“We wish to call on anyone who might have information on this barbaric act to share it with the police. We are hopeful that teaching and learning will not be hampered when schools open,” said Mabona.
Lesufi said the incident had derailed the school and the department’s plans for this academic year.
“The reality is that we do not have funds to repair the school, the department will check what can be salvaged,” he said. |