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The start of the 2021 school year in the Eastern Cape is set to be a bumpy ride for more than 6 000 learners, who have not been placed. This is due to a lack of resources and learner migration.
The Provincial Education Department says learners are migrating from township to urban schools. The department has committed to place the pupils before the opening of schools on Monday.
As of last week, more than 4 000 Grade One learners weren’t admitted to schools, while nearly 2 000 Grade Eight pupils were unplaced.
The department cites a lack of quality learning and the provision of English in township-based public schools as reasons behind the migration.
Provincial Education Cluster Chief Director, Genevieve Koopman, says these figures will have changed by the start of the school year.
“We can assume that the numbers have moved and we can assume that there are still very few learners left unplaced. I know Nelson Mandela Bay is the most affected district at this moment and still has very few learners unplaced, but they have assured the head of department that everyone should be placed when schools open. But these unplaced learners will also be referred to neighbouring circuits or schools that have available space.”
Minister Angie Motshekga to brief media on the resumption of 2021 school calendar:
‘Unresolved issues’
Teacher unions say there are unresolved issues on the table ahead of the schools reopening. These include the delivery and the quality of textbooks which, according to the department, will be completed on Monday.
The unions also want a clear plan of action for teachers with comorbidities. The department says more than 600 teachers with comorbidities are unlikely to return to school this year.
The procurement of PPE is another bone of contention between the unions and the department, according to SADTU provincial secretary, Chris Mdingi.
“The confusion has to be on the basis of not being certain whether the department is to provide or schools are to procure themselves. Now a message has arrived a bit late to schools that they will procure and there was the frustration of transferring those monies the way of schools so the schools can procure. Linked to that is uncertainty in terms of the service providers some districts we are told some officials in the districts are manipulating the process already of trying to recommend service providers of their own.”
Poor school infrastructure remains a challenge for the province. Parents at the Alfonso Arries school in Port Elizabeth have threatened to shut the school down on Monday due to safety concerns. The school is using temporary structures. The floor in 14 classrooms is dilapidated putting the lives of learners at risk. More than R400 000, allegedly budgeted for repairs for the school, cannot be accounted for.
SGB chairperson, Luyanda Jonas says social distancing will be impossible without the 14 classrooms.
“The classrooms are not in good condition. You will see the floor is not in good condition and also the toilets are not in good condition because we’ve got plus-minus 54 toilets only three are working. The classrooms most of them don’t have electricity. We instructed the school principal to write to the Department of Education or district offices to request that they must use the maintenance money in order to fix these challenges up until today.”
The department did not respond to questions about the situation at the school. The provincial Education Committee will visit various schools on Monday.
Update on Eastern Cape school readiness:
