KZN Floods | Education Department urges school principals to accept all learners whether they have uniforms or not

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Education is urging principals to accept all learners back to school whether they have uniforms or not.

This comes after a principal from one of the schools in the province came under fire for turning away learners who had attended without uniforms after their homes were flooded.

Over a hundred thousand people across the province are said to have been affected by last week’s heavy rains that claimed the lives of more than 400 people.

About 16 000 people have been displaced seeking shelter at community halls and local churches.

New admissions

Department Spokesperson, Muzi Mahlambi says principals must also accept new admissions from affected learners who might have relocated to relatives after losing parents in the floods.

“Some learners might be displaced; some might have lost parents and some relatives will be taken over which will warrant relocation. So, we are then saying to the school principals working together with kids, they must be sensitive to those requests and process those admissions but also attendance is also encouraged despite whether the child is wearing a school uniform or not.”

KZN Floods I Premier Sihle Zikalala on cost of the disaster

SADTU raises concerns conditions of schools

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has expressed concern over the state of some schools that are reopening in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday, following the recent flood damage in the province.

Sadtu’s Provincial Secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza says some learners do not have school uniforms after their homes and belongings were washed away.

“The extent of the damage is not the same. There are about 124 (schools) that will need major repairs or will have to be restarted. But we are worried because as we go back to school, some of our learners do not have school uniform. They have nothing to wear. Some of them won’t even be able to go to school,“ says Caluza.