Watch: Eersterust secondary school learners burn school property to keep warm

In a video making the rounds on social media, desks and chairs can be seen burning behind Eersterust secondary school toilets.

Learners can be seen enjoying the warmth of the fire after they allegedly burned the school tables and chairs.

They are hiding their faces as soon as they noticed that they were being recorded.

In the video, the dilapidated bathroom buildings can be seen with broken windows, dirty walls and a collapsed school wall.

Since it is winter, it is common in most schools for learners to bask in the sun to keep warm.

This incident has grabbed the attention of many political parties in the area, which did an oversight visit to the premises.

United Independent Movement (UIM) spokesperson said it was very sad to see what is transpiring at the school.

“Many of us were taught in this school and our party’s vice president Fatima Abdool is a product of this school as well,” said Virginia Young.

Young said they demand that the Gauteng education department immediately step in and take charge of the situation.

“All these problems are directly linked to the government for removing God from our schools and abolishing corporal punishment in schools.”

Young said the department must act decisively in addressing this situation before it spirals out of control.

“If that school structure becomes a danger to learners and teachers, hundreds of children will suffer the consequences.”

She condemned the vandalising of school property.

“If we damage and burn down our educational institutions, we are a lost society and nation.”

Young added that the police must step in as these are criminal acts and putting those law-abiding learners and teachers at risk.

The Department of Education said it was aware of an incident at the Eersterust secondary school in which learners burnt desks “to keep warm”.

“Three learners were identified regarding the incident and a disciplinary process is underway,” said departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona.

“In case the learners are found guilty as per the code of conduct for learners, the parent is liable to repair and fix the damages.”

Mabona said failing that, the school will recommend the expulsion of the learner.

“It must be noted that all schools follow section 9 (1) of the South African School Act (Sasa).

“A school governing body may, on reasonable grounds and as a precautionary measure, suspend a learner who is suspected of serious misconduct,” he told Rekord.

“But may only enforce such suspension after the learner has been granted a reasonable opportunity to make representations.”

If a learner is suspended, the school governing board must conduct disciplinary proceedings within seven days of the suspension.

Failing this, the governing body must obtain the approval of the department head for the continuation of the suspension of the learner.

He condemned the acts of misconduct, “which seeks to undermine the dignity of our learning institutions”.

Mabona confirmed that the building of the new school is at an advanced stage of advertising the tenders for the project.

“The department is currently busy with renovations of the ablution facilities.”

The ablution facilities at the back of the Eersterust secondary school where the wall is vandalised are locked due to vandalism.

“The report at our disposal reveals that the said facilities were renovated in 2021 and were vandalised the following day,” Mabona said.

The school decided to close them for safety reasons.

He urged learners to refrain from acts of misconduct in schools and implored parents to assist the department in instilling discipline in and outside the school environment.

** This story has been amended.

Three recent fires amidst fire season

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