Ratjeke receives two mobile classrooms after intervention

Ratjeke Primary School received new mobile classrooms last week Wednesday, June 8, after the Democratic Alliance visited the office of the MEC for the Department of Education requesting that she assists the school with temporary mobile classes.
Some of the 238 learners at Ratjeke Primary School in the Greater Letaba municipal area have been forced to attend classes outside.
This comes after an oversight inspection revealed the dilapidated, under-resourced and unfavourable conditions that learners are exposed to at this school.

The Herald reported on the conditions at the school two weeks ago after a visit to the school premises.
At the time, community members told the Herald that the school has not been refurbished in 40 years.
The DA said in a statement that they have written to the Limpopo education department’s Onica Dederen to urgently address the challenges the learners face.
After a visit to the school, the DA said Ratjeke Primary School has aged and that the infrastructure is dilapidated that is dangerous for the learners.

“Many of the classroom buildings have already collapsed, and there are not enough mobile classrooms at the school to accommodate all the learners.
“This has resulted in many classes taking place outside where young learners are exposed to extremely cold temperatures.
“The parents of learners and the community around the school are feeling let down and have become despondent due to their demands for a new school that have not been addressed by the department’s circuit office in the area.

Also read: School has not been upgraded in 40 years

“The frustration of the conditions at the school also led to some mobile classrooms being burnt.
“While we understand the community’s frustration with the education department, we condemn the burning or damaging of property.”
They said that they found that there are also water issues at the school and there is currently no scholar transport offered to learners at Ratjeke.
“It is clear that this school has been severely neglected and is a victim of poor monitoring and evaluation by the department’s circuit office,” they said.

“We have requested the department to urgently address the community with regards to plans for the school. The department’s obligation to provide a decent basic education is not only limited to providing school placement but must also include providing resources such classrooms and appropriate facilities,” the statement concluded.