Rédaction Africa Links 24 with sabcnews.com
Published on 2024-02-01 18:59:18
The MEC for Education in the North West Viola Motsumi recently visited Masamane Primary School and expressed her embarrassment at the school’s current state. She stated that the condition of the school is not conducive for proper teaching and learning. This visit followed the news that learners did not attend their first day of the new academic year two weeks prior, as reported by the Africa Links 24. The school was closed by parents who complained about unhygienic flushing toilets, poor quality drinking water, and dilapidated school buildings.
Located more than 100 kilometers outside the capital Mahikeng, Masamane Primary School did not open at the start of the academic year due to parental dissatisfaction about the school’s condition. Motsumi met with parents and conducted an assessment of the school’s state. She concluded that it is inappropriate for learners to attend classes under these circumstances and expect to achieve good results.
Motsumi expressed disappointment at the lack of readiness at Masamane Primary School. She recalled having a meeting with district directors in December to check the readiness for the reopening of the academic year, and she was assured that everything was intact. However, she was disappointed to only receive reports on the delivery of mobile toilets on Monday.
Parents expressed their desire for the government to address their concerns and emphasized the importance of a clean environment and drinking water for their children’s wellbeing. They called for the department to take their concerns seriously and provide answers and solutions.
Els Themba, Secretary for the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in the province, criticized the department for doing little to address substandard infrastructure in schools. He highlighted the lack of an immediate plan to address the identified issues, as well as the expensive nature of the mobile classrooms that have been set up in many schools across the province.
Despite the criticisms, Motsumi stated that the department has plans in place to address the issues. She mentioned that plans were made in June of the previous year to renovate some schools during the festive season, but the department encountered challenges due to storm damage and the rainy season, which led to a failure to start renovating schools.
The department assured the public that the process of fixing inadequate infrastructure in schools would commence in the new financial year. As the situation at Masamane Primary School continues to draw attention, it is clear that steps are being taken to address the concerns and improve the conditions for proper teaching and learning.
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