Lockouts spread to Modimolle

Schoolyard chaos dating back to Raelelng High School in Bela-Bela two weeks ago, have now spread to schools in Modimolle.

In Modimolle the situation is far worse with every single school being forced to halt teaching and learning, as a consequence of protest action spearheaded by the Modimolle SGB Forum.

By Monday 17 February classes resumed at Bela-Bala’s Raeleng High School, following a weeklong shutdown, against the backdrop of a lockout led by the school’s SGB the previous week.

Classes were resumed following the continued engagements between the SGB, Bela-Bela Local Municipality and education authorities on the same Monday.

It was resolved that lessons resume, pending continued efforts to sensitise provincial education authorities about overcrowding and safety issues at Raeleng High School.

The lockout in Modimolle continued unabated on Tuesday 18 February, with learners still roaming the streets.

A site visit by The BEAT in Modimolle on Monday found learners stranded in the vicinity of Dagbreek Primary School, Maokeng Primary School and Phagameng High School.

The Lekkerbreek Primary School resembled a ghost town, with no educators, parents or leaners on the premises.

The SGB Forum in Modimolle said in a statement the protest action was necessitated by alleged failure by education authorities to be responsive to, among others, classrooms overcrowding.

The forum also expressed frustration at the process of appointing educators that allegedly took “too long”.

Central to the dispute was also the alleged lack of progress in the planned building of an additional high school in the township in Phagameng.

Limpopo education departmental spokesperson, Sam Makondo, said the authorities condemned the disruption of classes “as it steals critical time for learners and it is usually difficult to recover the lost time.”

He said the authorities urged stakeholders to “understand these matters from the learners’ point of view.”

Makondo added that those who were chosen to lead had the responsibility to engage the department on any matter, while schooling is left to continue.

Mzamane Ringane & TK Mashaba
— The BEAT