By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
Many schools in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region continue to be in dire situations. This was discovered during a visit at Morokweng Primary School and Setswakgosing Secondary School by the North West MEC for the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari during his Back to School campaign on Wednesday.
Morokweng Primary School principal, Errol Dithakgwe said the school has ablution facilities, but even though they are functional, they are far from being aseptic. Dithakgwe further said the 17 year-old main building of the school is dilapidated.
“We have managed to refurbish some blocks, but the main building remains dilapidated. Against the protestation of the parents, we also chose to close this block as it was deemed unsafe. The parents were anxious that the closure could compromise teaching and learning even though cracks are visible on the walls.
“We now use the building only as a storeroom. The school yard is big and has a garden, which produces some vegetables used as part of the school feeding programme. In one corner is a high tower signal distributor mast that supplies wireless networks to the area,” he said.
Dithakgwe said the owners of the tower pay the school royalties for being in the school yard.
“This has helped us to refurbish a principal office and pay stipend to volunteers who clean the school, but there is more that needs to be done,” he said.
Another principal from Setswakgosing Secondary School, Olaotse Moreke shared the same sentiments. Moreke said even though his school has flushable toilets and buildings are more modern, they too have challenges.
“We have over one 1000 learners and a quarter of them are doing matric. We use a platoon system to ensure all learners come to school daily. Some learners start at 12:00pm and others in the morning.
“Even though the school has cameras, eight months ago, criminals broke in and stole laptops. Criminals forcefully opened all three strong rooms and stole a server as well,” he said.
However, Moreke added that even though the footage was stolen, criminals allegedly forgot a pair of glasses, which might assist police with investigations. He said the school has fewer tablets now and cannot cover all the learners.
“To circumvent this challenge, we have given 217 learners SIM cards to use on their smartphones or personal tablets to access electronic books,” said Moreke.
Meanwhile, Lehari said: “We want to assure you that the solutions to your challenges will be expedited. The purpose of these oversight visits is to monitor and oversee challenges that you are facing, so that we can speed-up solutions.
“Despite all these challenges, I see that teaching and learning is underway on the first day. It is laudable and we admire how both schools strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols. There are boards outside near the gate ordering everyone who enters to wear a mask.”
He further said all learners and their educators had their masks on and there was a compliance officer with a register in hand taking records details, scanning and sanitising everyone who enters the school.
The five inland provinces include the Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West received learners from Grade R to Grade 12 on Wednesday, while schools in the other four coastal provinces such as Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape will open only next week.
The Guardian 