Cape Town - Although their children have not been guaranteed a place at Bonnievale High School, parents say they have bought school uniforms and will be sending their children to the school on Wednesday.
Community leader Gertruida Swartz said parents of prospective Grade 10 pupils couldn’t afford to send their children to schools in other towns.
“We had a meeting with parents and the community, and this problem must be sorted out before it causes more issues,” Swartz said.
She said the high school was within walking distance for most pupils, and the principal, Johan Els, had to find a place for the children.
Swartz said Els had told parents that 89 pupils who had passed Grade 9 would be accepted into Grade 10. But now there was only space for half.
“Why must we pass a high school here and send our children to Langeberg High or Robertson High and pay transport and hostel fees?” Swartz said.
She said a representative from the education department had told them that schools in Ashton and Robertson would accommodate their children, but that it would cost parents between R400 and R700 for transportation to the out-of-town schools.
“We are pensioners - where will we get the money? Bonnievale High is twice as big as Bonnievale Primary. We can’t understand why they cant take the children,” Swartz said.
She said many parents had already bought uniforms for the high school and intended sending their children to school on Wednesday.
Els reiterated that there was a waiting list, and they were still waiting for information regarding the list from the department.
“I can say nothing more than that there is a waiting list, and that list still stands.”
He said a child on the list would be placed only if a pupil already at the school moved to another school.
Cape Town