Each and every year the Department of Education, along with its schools encourages parents and learners alike to apply early for the following academic year. Some heed the call and others rely on only they-know-what. As schools re-opened on January 15, most learners in the eMalahleni area found themselves with a predicament – they could not be admitted into schools.
There are various reasons why learners cannot be admitted into a school; it could be because of late application or the learner does not come from a feeder school. Some learners have been on the waiting list, since their applications were made in the previous year, but they are still sitting at home.
Emalahleni Local Municipality mayor, Councillor Salome Sithole, was bombarded by parents from the various areas in eMalahleni, who wanted to know why their children could not attend school. She said that some parents said that they had applied in time for their children to go to different schools, as most of their kids were entering High school level. “I have made the necessary inquiries and taken the necessary steps in addressing this issue. It is not just a problem for the parents of that child, but it involves all of us as a community,” said Cllr Sithole.
Some of the parents that brought forward their cries to the mayor, alleged that they were told to take their children to schools that were not in town. The parents allegedly pointed out that if they had a choice, they would do so, but to take a child from one school which uses one language of medium to another that uses a different language, would be problematic for their children, as they would have to start from the beginning by learning the new language of communication.
This was the burden of the problem, that they did not want to place on their children. The availability of space in schools was questioned as some of the parents alleged that they had applied for their children in time, but yet they were placed on the waiting lists of the schools even months before the closing dates.
“We are waiting for feedback from the MEC of Education about the matter. They had a meeting on January 21 and we are yet to hear the response from the Department of Education, as what it is that they will be doing to accommodate these learners,” said Cllr Sithole. She added that with some of the learners not being in school, it makes it difficult to focus on other things, such as education, which is the first priority. The lack of it will therefore cause an imbalance in society and by all means calm should be maintained.
The mayor has been speaking with the circuit manager of education, Mamsy Mahlangu and with the meeting of the MEC having taken place, a solution is hopefully going to be reached by the end of week.
