By Obakeng Maje
The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the North West province has learned with disappointment that the Department of Basic Education in the province is planning to close a number of farm schools in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda Region, under the program of rationalisation of schools.
COSATU is informed that a number of schools in the Tigane Ottosdal area will be affected and a number of children will be forced to travel longer distances than they are travelling now.
COSATU provincial secretary Solly Phetoe said they had observed that many children in the farm areas are travelling more than ten kilometres to school in the current situation and the closure of the schools will increase the distance that they are travelling.
“COSATU have also observed that the school transport system is not functioning, as many farm children are still walking to school on a daily basis due to unavailability of transport. Where the transport is available it does not go into farms to collect the children, so they have to travel more than ten kilometres to the road to get the transport” Phetoe said.
“We believe that the continued closure of the schools will be taking away the rights of the children to education and will increase child labour as a number of children will be forced out of schools as the schools which will be too far for them to attend. The farm children are exposed to the racial attacks during travelling to school and this is one of the fights that COSATU in the NW had with the previous MEC, who ended up being removed and arrested for corrupt activities” they said.
Cosatu plans to call on the department of education to stop this process until there is an alternative school where children will be accommodated during the time they are attending school as was done with Onkgoposte Tiro and Moedwill.
“We call on the Department of Education in the NW to stop this and consult with farm communities and other stake holders that are involved in the farms. We are also calling on our government to act quickly on the challenges faced by Pomfret school which is in the poverty area, children are divided on the culture issue including teachers are treated badly with poor attendance of children on the bases of culture” Phetoe concludes.
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