Learners relocated so school can be rebuilt at KaNyamazane

More than 590 learners from Tiphembeleni Primary have been temporarily accommodated at Portia Shabangu Secondary School.

This is after the parents and the community shut down the school, demanding it be rebuilt, because it was no longer safe for its learners.

“For as long as there is problems at Tiphembeleni Primary School, the learners will be schooling here. We have negotiated with the school governing body of Portia Shabangu to have the learners here until their school is in a good condition. For now, they occupy nine of the 14 available classrooms at Portia Shabangu.
We have given them the classrooms to use while renovations continue at their own school,” explained MEC Bonakele Majuba on Wednesday morning.

A scholar transport has been arranged to take the learners to and from KaNyamazane every day.

Majuba told the learners to wake up early, so as not to miss the school bus.

He said they were not in a position to state when the renovations would be completed.

“For now, the learners and teachers are comfortably accommodated. Public works and its engineers will determine if Tiphembeleni needs renovations or a complete new school.
They will also advise us on when the school will be ready for the learners to be sent back,” he said.

Majuba and his entourage also visited the learners in their classrooms, assuring them that the government was working hard to ensure that they continue with their studies.

Zilfa Masango, a grade seven learner, thanked Majuba and the department for providing them with an alternative school where they could prepare for their end of year examinations.

Learners from the 47-year old Tiphembeleni Primary School have not been learning since the beginning of October, due to its deteriorating infrastructure.