Some Eastern Cape schools still face infrastructure challenges

A number of schools in the Eastern Cape still face infrastructure challenges. They struggle with desk, chairs, and classroom shortages as well as inadequate ablution facilities.

Jongilanga Senior Secondary in Dutywa is a mud structure. The school was built by the community close to three decades ago.

Over 600 learners are enrolled at Jongilanga Senior Secondary School; they all share one pit latrine. While the school’s 17 educators share the other one. The mud school also has a shortage of furniture. In some cases, three learners cram into one desk in the school’s congested classrooms. They are now approaching nearby schools to borrow desks. Grade 12 learners, Sinombongo Vuwana and Asavela Komanisi say this is impacting negatively on teaching and learning.

“We occupy a very high number in one class and very small space. So in this COVID-19 time, we aren’t following the rules of COVID-19. And the toilets we have are in a very critical position because we are forced to go outside the school premises to the bushes”

“Cows, sheep gets in into the classes while the teachers teach. And we also have problems with desks. Our desks are not proper. Children sit five on the desk and that causes corona.”

Parents claim they’ve knocked on many doors without success. Chairperson of the School Governing Body, Nkosinathi Thukuthezi says they are concerned about the condition of the school.

“Since 1995 when this school was built, government came and only gave us that temporary structure with five classrooms and that was it, nothing else. All the other classrooms were built by us the community. There are no toilets. there’s just no help for us. Learners relieve themselves in the bush and that’s where they might encounter problems. No one is spared here. Even teachers struggle.”

Another concerned parent, Noncedo Mbuyazwe says their main concern is the safety of their children.

“In 2019 we had a challenge where our learners were raped and some of them were even killed due to lack of security at this school, as you can see it is not fenced. As parents, we were very traumatized. Everyone was crying and that was very painful.”

Spokesperson for the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape Vuyiseka Mboxela promised to address the matter.

“We have already interacted with the SGB so that we can be able to furnish them with the requisition form so that they can be able to sign it and then we procure that furniture for them because at least when it comes to furniture, we do it internally. And also, on the issue of the infrastructure in the school, it’s a matter of just us authenticating whether the school is with the Asidi or the school is in the list that is to be built by the province in terms of the infrastructure that they are complaining about.”

Jongilanga Senior Secondary was the second-best performing school in the Amathole District during last year’s matric exam.