Cape Town – The third school term got off to a rough start for some schools in the province, with disruptions as overcrowding and staff shortages continue.
In Kraaifontein, Wallacedene Primary School pupils were greeted by locked gates for the second day yesterday after disgruntled parents and the School Governing Body (SGB) held a demonstration on the school premises and forced children out of classrooms.
Demanding mobile classes, the protesters locked the school principal in a classroom, to draw attention from the Westen Cape Education Department (WCED).
Parent and community leader Linda Phito said parents’ demands were not taken seriously as they were waiting patiently for the promised temporary classrooms for three years.
“The department knows this is not a new thing. We have asked nicely to be given temporary classrooms to accommodate the pupils.
“We want our children to get the same treatment and attention as pupils in the suburbs, where schools only have about 40 in a classroom and provide more teachers,” Phito said.
Phito said Wallacedene Primary was among the best-performing schools in the province, but the department failed to meet its needs.
Heathfield High School was also experiencing teacher-pupil ratio issues, with principal Wesley Neuman highlighting safety and the school having been placed under the wrong quintile as being the major issues.
“Engagements with the department to have the school’s quintile status reviewed started two years ago.
“The school’s current status is quintile 5, meaning that due to the area the school is situated in, it is assumed that the school is affluent.
“After a survey conducted by the school, it was found that 90% of the pupils don’t reside in the area and cannot afford the school fees.
“This has resulted in the school having to pay its teachers,” said Neuman.
In Manenberg, the Cape Times reported that parents protested outside the Sonderend Primary School over what they said was a lack of transparency about the closures and few answers about where their children would be moved to.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “Engagement with Wallacedene Primary School SGB at the district office led to an agreement to meet on Monday.
‘‘WCED would like to address these concerns with the SGB and are determining what is possible with the budget and resources available.
‘‘These issues will be discussed in the meeting.”
Regarding Heathfield, Hammond said a meeting between the police and other schools in the area was being scheduled to address safety concerns, particularly as they relate to gangsterism.
“While we would like to increase the number of no-fee schools, we simply cannot do this without additional funding from national government.
“Heathfield has submitted an application for a change in status.
‘‘The documents are currently being processed.
“The SGB recently retrenched five SGB educators due to funding constraints,” Hammond said.