THE new Ormonde Primary School remains closed, after the governing body decided not to re-open it on Thursday, January 14, due to a lack of infrastructure, such as flushing toilets, which the education department had said would be delivered to the school.
The Southern COURIER has been in contact with the the office of the MEC for Education, Lesufi Panyaza, regarding Ormonde Primary, which was closed on its first day, on Wednesday.
Oupa Bodibe, acting spokesperson for the MEC, responded as follows: “It is true that the SGB decided to close the school on Wednesday.
“The MEC met with the school principal and SGB and emphasised the fact that the decision to close the school without prior discussion was unwarranted.
”It was then agreed that the school would be open on Thursday, and that flushable mobile toilets would be delivered. The school has obtained permission to install a septic tank.
“The MEC will engage the City of Joburg to find a temporary solution to the school’s access to bulk infrastructure. The main issue is that the municipality is reluctant to connect bulk infrastructure until the plots of land on which the school is built are consolidated.”
The COURIER followed up to confirm that the SGB and the school principal met with Panyaza, to discuss the matter. But the SGB decided not to open the school on Thursday, as they did not want to risk any problems, since the new toilets had not yet been delivered when the COURIER followed up.
The COURIER will meet with the SGB on Monday, January 18, to get a full update, which will be published in the next issue of the COURIER.
Related Articles: https://www.citizen.co.za/southern-courier/85039/ormonde-school-closes-on-its-first-day/
