Members of the school governing body at Serutle Secondary at Makgophong village at Zebediela in Limpopo say their schools don’t have proper toilets, water supply, enough masks and sanitisers to resume learning and teaching.
Millions of learners and community members have mixed reactions about going back to school this week as South Africa moves to level 3 of the national lockdown. However some have welcomed the move while others feel the decision was too early.
A Makgophong community spokesperson in Zebediela, Lesega Mollo says allowing kids to learn in that environment is like sending children to a graveyard.
Mollo says, “Our school is not ready because sanitisers are not received. The ones received are for teachers, we have been engaging with the department of education promising us they will build proper toilets for the school but nothing has happened. Let the government intervene in this issue because by sending them to this school obviously we are sending them to the graveyard.”
A Grade 12 learner at Mbilwi Secondary in the Vhembe district, Rahab Mudau says he is not ready to return to school.
Mudau says, “To be honest I am not really ready… The reason is because the number or rate of coronavirus is still increasing and we don’t know what might happen, it is quite a task on my head because I am worried about how it is gonna end up. I will go to school, I want to be at school, just to know what’s the way forward and if my parents don’t think it is safe for me to go – I will go to see what is going on, I will have to risk my life for it.”
Mixed reaction on the reopening of schools:
A member of the School Governing Body at Serutle Secondary at Makgophong village in Zebediela, Wilson Tshukudu, says the 14 grade twelve learners at the school will not have a problem with social distancing when schooling resumes, but will have other challenges due to lack of proper sanitation.
Tshukudu says, “We only have 14 learners, which is a good number, but the condition of toilets is bad and there is a lack of consistent water supply. We informed the department about the lack of poor ablution facilities and they promised to come and build but all in vain. Only masks for teachers were delivered with sanitisers; we only had those that the school bought for itself.”
The provincial department of Education was not yet ready to respond as they were still waiting for the address by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga.
Please note that the media briefing will take place tomorrow. Also note that schools will open tomorrow for SMT and teachers. Grade 12 and 7 learners are expected to return on 8 June @DBE_SA #schoolsreopening #angiemotshekga pic.twitter.com/SX24GimMG6
— Dr Reginah Mhaule (@ReginahMhaule) May 31, 2020
Motshekga is expected to brief the media this morning, in Sunrise Park near Rustenburg, in the North West to give reasons why schools could not open on Monday.
In the past week the minister had announced that Grade 7 and 12 learners will be returning to school, as the country moves to level 3 of the national lockdown, however teachers’ unions, that include NAPTOSA and SADTU, amongst others, opposed this decision.
Unions say schools in most provinces are not ready, because of shortage of basic needs such as water and sanitation in others, insufficient infrastructure, such as additional classrooms, as well as PPE’s for both teachers and learners, in others.
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