Today the Daily Voice can reveal the 27 Cape Town schools that face possible closure.
The Department of Education did not want you to see this list and kept it under wraps.
The Western Cape Education Department issued notices announcing its intentions to close certain schools across the province.
Reasons include dwindling learner numbers, insufficient future growth, the use of multi-grade teaching and poor quality of teaching and learning.
But panic-stricken staff at Peak View High School say they will not allow the department to close their doors.
Oswald de Villiers, principal of this Bridgetown school, says they won’t go down without a fight.
“The reasons provided by the department to close down the schools are all matters that could be resolved,” he explains.
“By closing the school’s doors they are sending away 650 learners who came to us because they had nowhere else to go.
“Many of our learners are those with very low numeracy and literacy skills.
“They came to us because they could not be accepted at other schools.”
De Villiers tells the Daily Voice language is a contributing factor to the low pass rate.
“Last year our matric learners acquired a 18.7 percent pass rate, which was the lowest in the province,” he says.
“We had 39 matrics, of which 24 of them are Xhosa-speaking and all of them did English as a first home language.
“All 24 of the learners failed English and therefore failed matric.”
He says they have since asked for Xhosa to be taught at the school and have seen an improvement in results.
“And since this we have seen an improvement,” he says.
“The department should be working with us to implement solutions, not close us down.”
Department spokesperson Bronagh Casey says education MEC Donald Grant is yet to make a final decision.
“There has been no decision to close a school as of yet,” says Casey.
“The Minister will only make his final decision once all prescribed processes and requirements have been met.”
Eden and Central Karoo District
1. Krombeksrivier NGK PS
2. Langkloof PS
3. Denneprag PS
4. Redlands PS
5. Rietfontein PS
6. Rodewal UCC PS
7. Warmbad-Spa PS
8. Welbedacht UCC PS
9. Witterdrift PS
10. Rondevlei PS
11. Brackenhill PS
Metro North District
12. Lavisrylaan PS
13. Valpark PS
Cape Winelands
14. Tonko Bosman PS
15. Bergrivier PS
16. Boplaas PS
17. Hoopsrivier NGK PS
18. Wansbek NGK PS
19. LK Zeeman PS
West Coast
20. Nuhoop PS
21. Klipheuwel NGK PS
22. Urionskraal NGK PS
Metro Central
23. Beauvallon Secondary
24. Peak View Secondary
25. Protea PS
26. Athwood PS
27. Zonneblom Nest
*This article was published in the Daily Voice