[WATCH] Angry parents block off Biccard Street

POLOKWANE – Angry parents have voiced their frustrations as their children are yet to be placed in schools for the 2022 academic year.

Their frustrations are evident and weeks of no progress has now seemingly been enough as they have decided to block off Biccard Street between Excelsior and Hospital streets. 

They have also barricaded the entrance to the department’s offices on the corner of Biccard and Hans van Rensburg streets.

EFF provincial chairperson Jossey Buthane is among those to address the masses and in full support of their plea. “We will not leave until all learners have been placed and the department’s staff should work overtime if needed. This is no EFF matter but a community matter that affects everyone.”

Review contacted departmental spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene who said these are parents of learners who are yet to be admitted in schools around Polokwane.

“We have managed to place a significant number of learners in schools since we reopened last week. However, we still have learners, especially in urban areas and hotspots such as Phalaborwa, Tzaneen, Lephalale, Thulamela and Polokwane, who are yet to be placed. Space is a challenge in these hotspots,” she explained.

Chuene added that the placement issue occurs when parents, even those outside feeder areas, prefer the same school. “We are trying to finalise placements based on our current capacity. We are, however, not ruling out the possibility of using mobile classrooms, should a need arise and resources allow. All of this is a work in progress and placements are made according to availability of space and not necessarily preference of parents.”

She said they did a headcount yesterday (January 17) about learners in the Capricorn south district. “We are continuing to place learners in the available space,” she concluded.