Lack of IDs among learners concerning

A total number of 1 159 learners wrote final examinations without identity documents last year. This was discussed during the Ehlanzeni District Migration and Health Forum last week Wednesday.

During their presentation, the Department of Education said although they have set out a task team to help address the matter, there wasn’t much they could do if the Department of Home Affairs didn’t curb the illegal migration problem.

“The children are brought to us by social workers; we just want to give them education as per their rights in the constitution.

The parents also come to us and beg for admission with promises that the documents would be sorted soon, and they never are, which then becomes a problem for us as the department,” said Ms Martha Ndlovu of the Department of Education.

The house got quite heated when the Department of Home Affairs had to answer to the community of Klara in Bushbuckridge which is said to be having over 80 per cent of residents without ID documents, and many children without IDs at schools.

The department defended itself by saying it had no idea of the statistics in the community and that it would look into the matter. “We were not aware of the community in Bushbuckridge, thus we have nothing formal on paper yet, but we will definitely look into the matter.

As for the undocumented learners, we will come up with a strategy to curb the problem,” said Romeo George of Home Affairs. The day also saw presentations and demonstrations of condom use by the Nkomazi Local Aids Council.