Rustenburg - Pupils from 17 schools in villages near Ganyesa have returned to classes after learning and teaching were brought to a standstill by community protests, the North West provincial department of education said on Tuesday.
Department spokesman Elias Malindi said after engaging with the local communities, it was decided that classes would resume on Monday.
Schooling in the area was interrupted following service delivery protests on October 24.
Malindi said grade 12 learners were moved to “safe camps” where their examinations started off successfully.
Later, about 115 matrics from the area were accommodated at Kgononyane Secondary School in Southey village following the protests which threatened to interrupt the final examinations.
They were part of the 213 Grade 12 pupils who were originally accommodated at the camps.
Forty-three pupils of the Bogosing Secondary School in Maphoitsile were accommodated at PH Moeketsi Secondary School in Taung after community members threatened to disrupt their examinations.
Another 55 pupils from Kopela near Delarayville were taken to Vryburg after schools were burnt down during protests on September 30.
North West Education MEC Wendy Matsemela said she was happy that pupils from Ganyesa have returned to school.
“We are excited that learners have returned to school and as a department we are ready to roll out our recovery plans for learners to recover from lost time,” said.
“It is always a pity that whenever there are protests in communities learners become victims. We are pleading with our communities that when there are protests learners be protected.”
African News Agency
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