School turns away 25 pupils

A group of around 20 parents gathered on the school premises of Meredale Primary on the first day of school threatening to take action as their kids has not yet been placed. Some of them have applied as early as July of 2011 and are now communicating with different departments to sort out the problem. Picture: Timothy Bernard 18.01.2012

A group of around 20 parents gathered on the school premises of Meredale Primary on the first day of school threatening to take action as their kids has not yet been placed. Some of them have applied as early as July of 2011 and are now communicating with different departments to sort out the problem. Picture: Timothy Bernard 18.01.2012

Published Jan 19, 2012

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Twenty-five children arrived at Meredale Primary School excited about their first day of school on Wednesday morning.

They wore freshly ironed uniforms, and shoes that clearly indicated they had been worked on the previous night to give them that extra shine.

However, on arrival at the school gates, the group found the classes were full, and they were asked to go home.

Twenty-five parents toyi-toyied outside the school for the third day in a row, demanding that their children be admitted.

The group, all of whom live within a five-minute walk of the school, complained that many children from other areas find places in the school.

“My son didn’t get the experience of being at school on the very first day,” said teary-eyed Grade 1 mother Maria Motsile.

“We are being sent from pillar to post. The school is telling us to go to the district department of education. The district is sending us to the school,” said Motsile.

She displayed a letter from the district department of education addressed to the Meredale Primary School principal, requesting the school to “please accommodate this pupil”.

“We are desperate parents. This is our third day outside the school. We don’t know what to do anymore,” Motsile said. - The Star

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