No class as Education Dept closes school

Learners at Thabadiphiri Primary School in Mamatsekele village in Ga-Phaahla were reportedly forced to stay at home for almost three months after the Department of Education decided to shut down the institution despite the community’s plea during several meetings.
It is alleged that about 100 learners have been roaming the streets since the beginning of the third term because there are no educators to render lessons at the school. Ga-Phaahla traditional leader Letsiri Phaahla informed Polokwane Observer that he alerted the community about the department’s decision to merge Thabadiphiri Primary School with Tholong Primary School and residents were not happy about this. Disgruntled member of the community engaged in protest to challenge this exercise as it would impact children negatively. He further said residents had a meeting with departmental officials two weeks ago for them to reverse the decision because it was not favourable for learners who were attending at Thabadiphiri Primary School as they have to travel close to 20 km to Tholong Primary School.
Phaahla added that during the meeting department officials apologised to residents and pledged that the institution would reopen but nothing was happening. “There is someone who is taking advantage of the situation because he wants to use his bakkie that does not have a canopy to transport learners to Tholong Primary School. People should not use the situation for their own benefit but consider children’s safety and health. You cannot transport kids on a dusty road in a bakkie that does not have a canopy. Some of the families can’t afford to pay scholar transport. The department created the mess hence they should fix it. Those who can afford to take their children to Tholong Primary School are free to do so but we must also consider poor families,” Phaahla stressed.
Department of Education Spokesperson Sam Makondo highlighted that the school was never shut down. The institution has 59 learners who were attending Tholong Primary School which is a merging centre, he explained and added that only a few of the 59 remained at Thabadiphiri Primary School because their parents do not agree with the merger for reasons best known to them. It was not true that there are 100 learners roaming the streets as the school never had such an enrolment to start with, Makondo remarked and reiterated that reasons for the merger is learner enrolment. “The national norm says a primary school must have 135 learners or more enrolled to exist as a viable school. This school has 59 learners and is thus not viable to exist on its own or qualify for the necessary resources that will advance teaching and learning. This is a small school and cannot assist our learners in getting the right education with the appropriate number of teachers. With 59 learners the school qualifies for one educator and one educator can’t teach all the grades. It is impossible.”
He indicated that the department met with stakeholders on Tuesday and agreed that parents should release their children to go back to Thabadiphiri Primary School from yesterday (Wednesday) onwards. He emphasised that the department put on hold the merger wtih Thabadiphiri Primary School to understand what the new issues are, which were never raised when they were busy with consultations because it is untrue that no consultation took place. The department always consults with parents on these matters but unfortunately some parents changed their minds when it was time to move to the new school, he concluded.
Yesterday morning however Phaahla disputed the fact that the department held a meeting with stakeholders on Tuesday as he indicated that he was contacted by officials who informed him that no one had turned up at the venue of the meeting. He said there was no way a meeting could take place without him as the traditional leader and concluded by disputing Makondo’s version.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za