“If these were high school kids the school would have been burnt (down) by now. It is the only way to get the authorities to listen in South Africa. Fortunately these are small kids… but now they are standing in the cold.”
So said a parent outside Dundee Junior Secondary School this morning where parents took their children out of the school. The children are standing in a vacant plot opposite Oldacre Street. Some of the parents are with them and some of the teachers are looking on from the school.
Parents are refusing to send their children to the school which they say is in a bad conditions – the toilet doors are broken, ceilings are collapsing and there was also a snake infestation.
The Education Department has promised to build a new school on the premises but this will take time. Meantime,they have offered to put up prefabs on the playing field to accommodate children while the school is repaired.
Workers did move in last week to demolish one of the prefab buildings and do a patch up job on one of the toilet blocks. Parents said this morning the Department is not hearing their plea for the pupils to be accommodated at the old Forestdale government school which is now used by the Education Department. Education officials say that is not possible as the premises is for offices.
Parents believe there is more than enough space for pupils and officials. However, the Department says it is standing by its decision to put the children in prefabs – and so the impasse continues.
Parents protest conditions at Dundee Junior Secondary
Pupils and parents are now blocking Oldacre Street as they wait for Mr S Kheswa of the Department to address them. Police are on the scene.
