Ndlozi challenges ‘PR and media-obsessed’ Lesufi to ‘come to the Vaal, the schools are not ready’

EFF MP and former party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has challenged Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi to visit schools in the Vaal which are not ready for reopening and welcoming back Grades 7 and 12 learners on Monday.

Ndlozi on Friday tweeted video clips of his visits to schools in the Vaal area, in which he listed the challenges these schools are faced with.

One of the schools Ndlozi visited on Friday is Kutlo-Tharo Secondary School in Sebokeng, which was torched earlier this year.

The torching led the red berets calling on its members to patrol schools in the area.

Ndlozi said  Kutlo-Tharo Secondary School is not ready for reopening on Monday as it does not have over 80% of what is required for it to do so.

He said about 200 matriculants are expected back at the school on Monday.

However, these matriculants can expect a shortage of teachers because “half” of them “have pre-existing comorbidities” and are between the ages of 50 and 60 and in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, will not be able to report for work.

“There are at least four teachers, for maths, for science, that will not be able to report because they have got comorbidities like pre-existing health conditions that will make them extremely vulnerable to coronavirus,” Ndlozi said.

He added that the department of education had not deployed teachers that would replace the ones that would not be able to report to work.

He said the school did not have data on learners’ pre-existing conditions.

“The state of the toilets is extremely bad,” Ndlozi said, adding that some were broken and some did not have water.

Must Watch: Khutlo-Tharo High School Principal explains the state of toilets in the school. https://t.co/wsgctakP5s pic.twitter.com/Qkq6hwvVEU

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) May 29, 2020

He further said teachers and learners shared toilets at the school.

Khutlo-Tharo in Sedibeng is not ready! Here are the toilets with no water! https://t.co/wsgctakP5s pic.twitter.com/k0m1hFvqWf

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) May 29, 2020

The EFF MP said the school principal had responded by saying they did not know how they would manage to maintain the hygiene levels required in the wake of Covid-19.

Ndlozi said learners at the school shared textbooks and that school staff have not been workshopped on disinfecting surfaces.

The teachers’ office block has not been renovated, which would make social distancing “impossible” for teachers when working from the office when the school reopens, Ndlozi said.

The EFF MP said he had no doubt that the school “is not ready” for reopening on Monday.

“Lesufi has not been here,” Ndlozi said, challenging the MEC to not only go to schools which were in good conditions, because this was a PR stunt.

He questioned why the MEC had not visited schools the department new by the start of the year that needed assistance.

“How come you didn’t come to Kutlo-Tharo,” Ndlozi asked, adding that the last time Lesufi visited the school he came with the media.

Ndlozi said he would visit other schools in Sedibeng. “This is the most neglected municipality in Gauteng” and he challenged “PR and media-obsessed” Lesufi to “come to the Vaal, the schools are not ready”.

https://t.co/pFeBvgwWEK

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) May 29, 2020

The EFF MP also visited another school, Tokelo Secondary School, which was torched earlier this year.

https://t.co/tlGBbsRw7p

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) May 29, 2020

The spokesperson of the Gauteng department of education, Steve Mabona, provided an update report on the readiness for the opening of schools.

The report was on Friday presented to the Gauteng coronavirus command council.

In the report, the department said it had done the following in schools damaged through vandalism or arson:

• In the seven schools with burnt administration blocks, three mobiles per school have been delivered for admin purposes
• Assessment and job cards for 313 schools have been completed and supply chain management processes are underway for minor repairs
• 11 school assessments are currently underway
• The assessment shows that there are sufficient classrooms available in all these schools for returning grade 7 and grade 12 learners.

The report also states that teachers who cannot report to work due to Covid-19 or because of existing comorbidities “may be replaced by novice grade 12 teachers who will be orientated and by heads of departments” and district subject advisors.

EFF leader Julius Malema on Thursday slammed the decision to reopen schools, saying most schools that service black Africans had inadequate infrastructure such as toilets and urged parents to not send their children to schools until these comply with Covid-19 protocols and safety measures.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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