Only one in ten parents can afford their kids
The principal of N’wamankena Primary School in N’wamankena village in Giyani painted a grim picture of the situation at her school during a visit by the MEC for Social Development in Limpopo, Nandi Ndalane on Tuesday.
Ndalane visited the school to donate uniforms to 50 learners at the school as a back-to-school campaign by SASSA. Philadelphia Mabunda welcomed the uniforms, saying it would motivate learners, many of whom come from poverty-stricken homes that cannot even afford to feed them. “Only one in ten parents of these learners work; the majority of them are unemployed and depend on social grants for their children and the R350 that the government gives to unemployed people.”
She said the government feeding scheme helps to feed the learners. According to her many parents also misuse their child grants. “In most cases, when I ask parents why their kids do not have a uniform, they tell me that the grant is finished, I always wonder how that is possible when the child does not have a uniform,” explained the principal. “I would like to propose that the January and December grants be paid in vouchers dedicated strictly to uniforms to ensure that parents will not use them for anything else other than what they are intended for,” she said.
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In response, the MEC explained that the government was aware of the challenge and that the proposal needed to be considered. “I’m happy that parents are here to listen to what the principal had to say. Although many of you do not seem to support it, however, I must admit that it is a good idea that needs to be looked at by the government,” said the MEC.
“As a government, we have noted that many parents tend to abuse social grants and use them for something else, such as stokvels, gambling, or even buying Xibelani for their entertainment, and therefore I agree with the principal that things would be better if we were using vouchers,” continued the MEC. Meanwhile, the MEC said 1502 learners in Mopani district were scheduled to receive uniforms in this financial quarter alone, and many more in the following quarter. The uniform that was donated to N’wamankena Primary School consists of a full kit necessary to cover a learner for three days.
