Mismanagement, no electricity, racialism and filthy unworkable toilets. This is what Westbury Primary School pupils face on a daily basis, all while trying to equip them with a valuable education.
It is what parents of some pupils at the school have been complaining about for the past year, causing them to eventually protest last October.
In an effort to make things right, parents held a clean-up campaign early last year.
At the clean-up campaign, they saw what their children are being exposed to.
“The parents have decided to embark on an operation of fixing and cleaning the school, but that came to a halt when we realized that there weren’t any cleaning supplies available,” said one of the parents, Khadija Butt.
Since the beginning of the second term the school has been without water and electricity after services were cut off.
“As we were cleaning we noticed that the bathrooms were in a mess, with an odour of faeces roaming in the toilets,” said parent Fareldieba Williams.
“My daughter urinated herself because she refused to use those filthy toilets,” said another parent.
Phumla Sekhonyane, spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “Westbury Primary School is a section 21 school which means that the school is responsible for maintenance and manages their own funds.”
The department was made aware that the school’s electricity was switched off due to non-payment.
“On April 8, the department paid the outstanding amount to City Power for the electricity to be restored,” said Sekhonyane.
A open hole, about the size of a child, was also found at the school posing the risk of serious injury to the pupils at the school.
Parents have questioned the financial management of the school as they believe the funds are being mismanaged.
Parents confronted the management of the school and allegations of racism emerged between parents and staff.
“We have sent our officials out to the school because we learnt that there has been conflict between the school’s staff and parents.
“But it seems like we need to pay a visit again,” said Sekhonyane.
The school is situated in an area that is notorious for drug addiction and a high levels of crime within the community.
This has led to the school being burgled on numerous occasions.
“The cleaner stays on the premises of the school with his family and fears for his life because there’s no electricity and the school being broken into all the time,” said Williams.
Phone lines for the school have not been working for the past year.
“My child that is asthmatic and had an attack at school but a teacher had to call me from her cellphone to inform me,” said Butt.
The department had not answered questions on the mismanagement of funds at the school before going to print.
The School Governing Body (SGB) refused to comment on the matter out of fear that their children will be victimised.
The school’s principal was approached for a statement but he declined.
