Mobile classrooms saved the day around Tshwane yesterday when they provided accommodation for thousands of pupils who would have otherwise found themselves with no school to go to on the first day of the term.
Schools that have been created to expand capacity in various areas across the city are made up entirely of mobile classrooms, offices and ablution facilities.
These include Orchards Primary School, Amandasig Secondary School, Hammanskraal Secondary School and Doornpoort Primary School.
These structures have enabled Tshwane district education officials to cater for thousands more pupils who entered the system this year.
At a number of existing schools there is simply no more space available.
Six extra mobile classrooms which were meant to be delivered at Orchards had not arrived when school started yesterday, meaning that some pupils had to sit on the floor.
However, this failed to dampen the mood of the pupils, teachers, parents and members of the school governing body, who were positive about the school and the strides it had made since being opened for the first time last year.
“In one year we have done a lot and I don’t think there is any other school with mobile classes that looks as good as our does.
“The parents are committed and you can see by how the school is performing and everyone’s effort in making it the best school,” said Noma Buthelezi, a parent and chairwoman of the school governing body.
The situation was different at the new Amandasig Secondary School, not far from Orchards, where contractors were racing against time to put up all the mobile classes.
The school is also waiting for its electricity and water supply to be switched on by the municipality, but there was optimism all round with pupils joining in to help with putting tables and chairs in vacant mobile classrooms.
Stationery was also being distributed to classes and learning and teaching was continuing while the contractors were continuing with their work.
Caretaker principal Johan Hepburn was optimistic that all mobile classes would soon be up and running and that the electricity and the water would also be supplied soon.
The department has sent chemical toilets to the school for the time being, but this is expected to be a temporary measure.
The situation was different at Doornpoort Primary School; here, only 88 pupils had been registered by yesterday and the school was keen to get more youngsters to enrol.
The school, which is also new, has more than enough classes to accommodate extra pupils and there are teachers, stationery and furniture in abundance.
“We hope that principals and the district office will refer children who cannot find space anywhere else to come and register here.
“We have worked really hard to ensure that the school is ready and hopefully we will have more children here once it is known that we have a lot of space,” said caretaker principal Madeleine Swart.
Many schools around Tshwane began their academic year by opening their gates to pupils for the first time in 2011.
Some parents had their hands full with pupils who cried as their parents “deserted” and left them in the company of school teachers and new friends.
More than 2 400 pupils at Meetse-a-Bophelo Primary School in Mamelodi East started the school year on a good note yesterday with infrastructure donated by ArcellorMittal South Africa.
The new facilities, which include a computer lab, playgrounds and a library, will bring a welcome boost to the no-fee school which has several pupils whose parents are unemployed.
Space at the school is in great demand and pupils have to be accommodated at different premises because of overcrowding at the Mamelodi East premises.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was at the school yesterday to give some of the pupils their learning materials, as well as school uniforms.
Another school in the city started teaching yesterday without any hassles.
Capital Park Primary School did not have any late registrations as parents wishing to make late applications had already been referred to the district office at the end of last year.
Principal Jacobus Pretorius explained that the school opened its gates to 630 children, 90 of whom were new Grade 1s.
Motshekga was upbeat.
“We are ready to begin the 2011 school year.
“We enter this new year with renewed vigour and excitement, after the encouraging results which were achieved by the class of 2010,” said Motshekga.
Gauteng Department of Education spokesman Charles Phahlane said the the first day at Gauteng’s 2 200 schools had gone well.
“This exercise is a culmination of nearly seven months of preparation for the opening of schools,” he said.
Elsewhere a few unfortunate incidents took place, which the department was viewing in a “serious light”.
A group of parents complaining about the awarding of a school maintenance contract allegedly locked out teachers at Alexandra High School.
Police were called in and the school was opened.
“Parents who want to further their own business interests cannot be allowed to deny learners the right to education,” Phahlane said. - Pretoria News