Parents and members of the School Governing Body at Veritas Technical School at De Aar in the Northern Cape are threatening to disrupt teaching and learning.
That’s if the department doesn’t fix the school toilets which have been out of order since 2015.
It’s been three years since pupils at Veritas Technical School had working toilets. The School Governing Body says their pleas to the department to fix them, have fallen on deaf ears.
SGB Chairperson Patricia Olifant says: “I would like to request the department to come. Let us work hand-in-hand. Why do we have to fight before you guys can provide; we are tired of fighting.”
The health and safety of pupils is a great concern as pupils have to use a nearby veld.
Community member Jayne Jafta says: “One school girl passed by my house and she had a severe infection that the urine literally ran out of her body, her pants were soaking wet, I had to call her in, so that she can get clean clothes. I asked her what happened and said the toilets are rotten.”
The department says the process of appointing a contractor was delayed.
Education spokesperson Geoffrey Van Der Merwe says: “We are now finalising the process of appointing a contractor and we promise that the toilets will be fixed by the end of the month.”
The department is pleading with parents to be patient and not to threaten to refuse their children the right to education.
It’s given an assurance that the matter will be resolved soon.
But until then, the 900 pupils will continue being exposed to unhygienic conditions.
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