Vandalism forces school closure

DESTROYED: Uitsig Senior Secondary School in Elsies River was vandalised over the school holidays.

DESTROYED: Uitsig Senior Secondary School in Elsies River was vandalised over the school holidays.

Published Jan 17, 2017

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UITSIG Senior Secondary School pupils have not had any lessons since schools reopened last week because the Elsies River school was vandalised and burgled during the December holidays to such an extent that education officials have ruled that it be shut.

Since last Wednesday pupils have been going to school in the hope of attending classes, but have been told daily by their teachers to return the next day.

Chairperson of the school’s governing body, Rosie Smith, said there was no teaching at the school, and children had not been provided with any study materials. The school had no utility connections due to the vandalism.

Smith said that due to these issues, some parents had opted to register their children at other schools.

Education MEC Debbie Schafer’s spokesperson Jessica Shelver said that during the festive season security guards at the school had been stoned, assaulted and threatened with guns.

Thieves stole water pipes and electrical cables.

Shelver said vandals were targeting the school daily despite the presence of security guards.

“They have broken most of the desks to sell the legs for scrap metal.

“Vandals have also stolen all the power cables, light fixtures and water pipes.

“It is a gross human rights violation to insist that the pupils continue to receive an education at the school. Our primary concern has always been the safety of the pupils,” said Shelver.

Despite her assurance that “a large majority of the pupils had already been moved to nearby Ravensmead High School to ensure that they 
continue to receive an education”, Ravensmead High School 
principal Joseph Bouman denied this.

Shelver had also said some teaching staff had been moved to Ravensmead High School.

Bouman said: “I know nothing of that sort. We are waiting for the department to communicate with us. We will be guided by the department; it depends on the department.”

Bouman said a meeting last night between the department and the school’s governing board would guide the way forward.

According to Shelver, there was an attempt last year to move pupils to a safer, nearby school, “but certain individuals with political agendas and some of the parents opposed this, and insisted on keeping their children at Uitzig school, despite fact that it had been declared unsafe”.

Shelver said department officials would meet parents “to discuss the best way forward” with relevant stake-
holders from the school.

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