Schooling has been suspended at Mcheni primary outside Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. This comes after temporary classrooms were blown away in a recent storm.

The weather dictates learning at the school due to unsafe dilapidated mud structures that have no windows or doors. Just a few metres away is a multi-million-rand school building that is unsafe for use due to a defective foundation.

It was built six years ago. Parents say the government is gambling with their children’s lives.

“This is painful because our children are suffering because they can’t use those shacks as they not safe and they are open. We don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Learning is not conducive because if it is windy, teachers need to allow learners to go home, even if it rains, they must be allowed to go home,” is what some parents had to say.

The Education MEC, Fundile Gade, says they have taken the contractor that built the defective school to court to try and recover their funds. He says mobile classes will be provided to the school.

“We have taken a decision after realising that the storm hit Mcheni two weeks back. It’s not an issue of them not having proper classrooms. It is the fact that the ones that are in question have been stormed down by the wind. We have a decision to give them mobile classes via the contractor that has started there,” says Gade.

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