Picture: The toilets are used as classrooms at Nthapelang Primary School in Matolong village
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West Department of Education has suspended the principal of Nthapelang Primary School in Matolong village, near Taung. This comes after Taung DailyNews exposed a dire situation at the school, where toilets were used as classrooms.
The North West Department of Education spokesperson, Mphata Molokwane said the principal has been suspended until the hearing of his case. Molokwane said his suspension is based on the fact that, he was responsible for the human degradation of putting children in the toilet as a form of a learning environment.
“This is in violation of human rights. The principal is currently suspended with pay. The outcome of the hearing of this case will be communicated as soon as the matter is concluded,” he said.
Meanwhile, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) provincial spokesperson, Mzukisi Jam said, they are deeply concerned with strong displeasure regarding the decision taken by the school principal and the School Governing Body (SGB) at the school to repurpose toilets as classrooms.
Jam further said this decision made due to a shortage of classrooms, is not only unacceptable but also creates an unconducive environment for the learners.
“The situation also infringes upon their basic human rights. The start of the 2024 academic year in the province has witnessed an overwhelming surge in the number of learners, exacerbating the issue of overcrowded schools.
“It is disheartening to note that year after year, little to nothing is being done by the provincial government to address and resolve the persistent problem of classroom shortages. The Nthapelang Primary School is equipped with only six classrooms and is forced to accommodate 220 learners, spanning from Grade R to Grade 7,” he said.
Jam added that the amalgamation of Grade R and Grade 1, as well as Grade 5 and 6 at the school, further exacerbates the challenge. He said during discussions with the Head of the School, it was disclosed that the SGB, parents, and school management collectively agreed to convert an unused toilet into a classroom due to the underutilization of the pit ablution block.
“We are profoundly dismayed and raise concerns about how the department allowed the situation to escalate to a point, where the school principal felt compelled to make such a decision.
“This suggests a concerning lack of proactive intervention by the district office and the department in addressing the alarming incident at schools, particularly, at Nthapelang Primary School,” said Jam.
He said this unfortunate circumstance not only burdens teachers and principals with immense pressure, but more importantly, compromises the quality of education provided to the learners. Jam said they are wondering whether the district office was aware of the school’s dire situation of shortage of classrooms.
“We anticipate that, the department should have prioritised this matter and taken steps to ensure that, the school prevented the repurposing of toilets as classrooms. Such actions compromise the integrity of the department,” he said.
The Guardian 