Cape Town - Scottsdene Secondary School pupils had to take turns to go to class on Tuesday, after being forced to share a community hall in the area.
As the Cape Argus approached the hall, a teacher could be heard presenting a lesson to more than 200 pupils over a PA system, while others stood outside in the cold, waiting for their turn to be taught.
Jessica Shelver, spokeswoman for the MEC for Education Debbie Schäfer, said: “I would like to highlight that the department planned to relocate the pupils to a vacant school in Eerste River. Some community members in Eerste River vehemently opposed this move and threatened violence against our learners.”
Grade 10 pupil Abona Mbombo, 18, was saddened by the situation. “What is happening to us is very sad. We are walking the streets, instead of being in a classroom.”
She said pupils were falling behind with the syllabus, but that was the least of their worries.
“I know we are being left behind with our school work, but we must also worry about our safety when going to school. The hall is located in a very dangerous area. You can hear gunshots all the time.”
Another pupil, who only wanted to be known as Vuvu, said even though they had missed out on valuable classroom time, pupils are at least still being taught.
“It’s not a good situation that we are in as a school community, but at least we are going to class and it is much better than staying at home.”
Martha Coetzee, the mother of a Grade 8 pupil said she is worried about her child’s safety because of the location of the community hall. “I now have to walk to fetch my child from school because this area is a notoriously dangerous area.”
Coetzee said even though Scottsdene was a good school, she was concerned pupils would not be able to recover the time lost in the classroom.
Another parent, Desiree Kannemeyer, said the situation was not good for the pupils. “They had to stay home for weeks and now they have to share the hall. It means that they don’t have the usual hours at school.
“I don’t know if they’ll be ready for their next exams. Something needs to be done,” she said.
Shelver said department officials had worked around the clock to arrange alternative accommodation for the Scottsdene pupils.
The department is accommodating Grades 8 to 10 in the community hall, while pupils in Grades 11 and 12 share nine prefabricated classrooms at the school.
Shelver said: “It is quite possible to teach a large group of learners such as this with the correct support. This is just a temporary solution until the mobile classrooms are erected at the school.”
She said the community hall was within walking distance of most of the pupils’ homes.
Cape Argus