CAPE TOWN The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has expressed its dissatisfaction over the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) motives for closing Seekoegat Vgk Primary School in the Central Karoo region.
The committee has now called the department of basic education to outline its Rural Education Policy, saying the closure of the school mainly due to the dwindling number of pupils was not enough.
This is after ACDP MP Marie Sukers, who has been in support of the community against the closure, started a petition calling for the rural education policy to be developed and an increased oversight of the policy development process.
Seekoegat is a deep rural community, the nearest roads to the isolated farms are 55km away and the nearest alternate school where pupils are expected to be placed is in Beaufort West about 90km away.
Briefing the committee on Tuesday, Sukers said no effort was made by the WCED to consult the older children as is required by the Children’s Act.
“These are young children ranging from Grade R to Grade 7, the oldest being 14. The continued closure of Seekoegat Primary School will isolate children from their families and their community.
“Children’s rights cannot be protected in isolation from family and community, many families do not have the means to travel to Beaufort West to see children and consent to medical care.
“The removal of their children to a remote school will limit the parents or guardians’ ability to perform their duty of care to their children as set out in the Constitution and the Children’s Act,” said Sukers.
She also expressed disappointment that consultation allegedly did not take place in a way in which parents in this position could express their true feelings due to language barriers.
“Some of the community are illiterate, do not speak or understand standard Afrikaans and did not have transport to attend SGB and consultative meetings with the WCED.
“The community believes the process was a tick-box exercise, lacking in transparency, performed under duress and that the closure had been decided before the process started.
“The WCED states that the community must rather take legal action to challenge the school closure.”
Sukers explained that the infrastructure was still good and the school had other facilities, including a computer lab and catering facilities.
“Research into rural education and the impact of school closures is needed. The committee should receive a report back on progress,” she said.
Community representative and teacher, Billy Coetzee, said: “I was surprised to have learnt about a school that has only 14 learners. However, it has not been threatened like ours or closed. While our school has more numbers.
“The WCED needs to consider that Seekoegat Primary School is a unique situation and must be looked at from a different perspective. We are requesting the committee's help.”
EFF MP Dr Sophie Thembekwayo said she was concerned that parents who don't have a source of income have to buy new school uniforms.
“I also do believe that indeed there was a problem during consultations with parents. It is unfair to close the school and not enough visibility research was conducted.”
WCED acting Head of Department Archie Lewis said the school had a learner enrolment of 19 pupils and dwindling enrolment numbers from 2016 when the school had 34 children.
“There were no prospects that the school would experience learner growth in the immediate future. It was not educationally sound for one educator to teach 19 learners over two bands/phases (foundation and intermediary) as well as over six classes or grades and on top of that being the principal.”
Lewis said another reason for the closure was that the school could not fulfil its financial obligations to its creditors, including food suppliers. The school was also in arrears with the payment of salaries of hostel staff.
MEC Debbie Schäfer’s spokesperson, Kerry Mauchline, said 32 schools have been closed since the beginning of 2017 of which two were in metro districts.
“Each of these cases was treated on its own unique merits. The department sends submissions on possible closure to the provincial minister as and when the need arises, and there is an extensive process of consultation and review before a decision is made.”
Cape Times