Pimville learners fight for better education & infrastructure
Parents and learners up in arms against poor infrastructure.
Mdelwa Hlongwane Primary School in Pimville, unfortunately, had to start their fourth term with a protest. On Friday morning, October 12, hundreds of learners and parents from the school marched in the streets demanding that Gauteng’s Education and Infrastructure Departments fix their school’s deteriorating infrastructure.
There are allegations that there has been a learner who was badly wounded by the school’s door due to the poor infrastructure and pictures of this learner were sent to the department and there was still no response. The school has been around for decades, yet there haven’t been any changes to the infrastructure.
“The school is falling apart and the most painful thing is that the kids’ health is being threatened, we want action, our kids cannot continue to learn in such a bad condition, said one of the parents, Paulina Masangane.
“There was a very disturbing incident that happened specifically in my child’s class, on a rainy day, learners had to sweep off the water that entered through the leaking roof, prior they could settle down in class.
“These kids spend more time at school than at home, it should be a safe place for them and education is a basic right for every child in South Africa, why are our kids being deprived of this right,” said Mbali Mazibuko, another parent.
The SGB treasurer of the school, Lindiwe Mazibuko said that they have since informed the Department in 2015 and nothing has been done until this point, hence the protest. South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) Mpete Mosaka Ward 22 has been involved in this issue and says that it will fight until the school is fixed.
“We received a call regarding this protest, so as SANCO we felt the need to support these parents and we will push until there is action,” said SANCO’s chairperson, Arthur Sekhukhune.
The Department of Education responded to the protest and promised to deal with the issue as soon as possible and by end of November, the department is expected to start with fixing the school’s infrastructure.
Gauteng Education Spokesman Steve Mabona responded by saying, “Parents from Mdelwa Hlongwane were addressed as follow:
- The school drawings have been submitted for approval by DID (Gauteng Department: Infrastructure Development),
- The Project will be going on tender at the end of November,
- The SGB will meet the department next Wednesday to address other challenges,
- Parents have dispersed and teaching resumed.
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