About 300 learners from Primrose High School are unsure when they will be able to resume their CAT (computer applications technology) classes and with exams looming in June, the school is hard-pressed to offer them a solution.
They have about a week’s worth of theory they can tackle but after that the situation looks dire as they have no computers left to work on.
The crisis comes after the school was robbed, last Sunday, at about 2am.
Over 80 desktop computers, a number of laptops and an undisclosed amount of money were taken in the robbery.
“Two suspects entered the premises through the Rand Water contracted construction site which borders the school,” said Primrose High’s deputy principal, Elkan Butler.
The construction site borders the school on both Cemetery and Main Reef roads.
“They held our security guard at gunpoint, tied him up and placed him on some stairs and told him to ‘sleep’ before letting another six men into the property with a vehicle through the gate,” Butler said.
The criminals disabled the school’s security system and then proceeded to break down doors using sledge hammers to gain access to classrooms and grind open a safe door.
They helped themselves to the computers and cash before fleeing the scene.
Butler told the GCN that since the construction work to lay new water pipes began about three years ago, the school has had a number of break-ins.
Principal of Primrose High School André Grobler added that during the recent school holidays the school had suffered two break-ins, with the tuck-shop being broken into the weekend before the computers were stolen.
The construction site is not very secure and the school has also suffered a lot of petty theft with people taking advantage and entering the premises to steal copper piping, taps and other items.
Due to these ongoing thefts, the school has had to close two bathrooms as the criminals enter through the walls and help themselves to the copper pipes and anything else they can sell.
The school will be claiming from their insurance company for the theft but is unsure how long it will take to receive a payout.
“It will cost us about R380 000 to replace the computers and that does not include the software,” said Butler.
The school does not have the resources to foot the bill and is appealing to the community and local businesses for assistance.
After the break-in they complained to the construction company which is contracted to do the work for Rand Water and were allegedly told to wait for the company’s lawyers.
Both Grobler and Butler said they have raised the security issue with the construction company a number of times but to no avail.
The fences erected for “security” by the company are flimsy and easily cut and the trenches dug to house the water pipes are dangerous.
“We want the company to put everything back as it was before construction started,” Butler said.
Ward 36 councillor Wendy Morgan also visited the school and told the GCN she would be speaking to province to try and organise proper fencing, as well as to the education department to fix the bathrooms at the school.
“The school cannot have a security issue of this nature,” she said.
The GCN contacted Rand Water for comment on the situation but at the time of going to press no comment had been received on the matter.
“We are denying children their right to education due to this situation,” said Butler.
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