Potential relocation for school near Mtubatuba coal mine
This was addressed last Friday by Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu at a Youth Parliament hosted in KwaMsane.
Community concerns regarding the well-being of pupils at Mtubatuba’s Qubuka Primary School have been heard, with the school potentially set to move away from its current location near Somkhele coal mine.
This was addressed last Friday by Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu at a Youth Parliament hosted in KwaMsane.
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He said pushing for the mine’s closure would impact the local community employed there, however, the school’s proximity to the mine was a cause for concern.
The ACDP’s Senzo Mkhwanazi said pupils and staff were facing challenges related to noise pollution from trucks and mine blasts, as well as pollution of air and water sources at the school.
Mkhwanazi said these issues have plagued the school for the past five years, with pupils and teachers having difficulty breathing, and contracting tuberculosis.
‘It is painful what is happening at Qubuka,’ Mkhwanazi said.
Mshengu indicated that progress was being made in terms of providing resources and infrastructure to rural and township-based schools.
He said that, in the last financial year, 54 schools were part of the department’s plan to create ‘innovative hubs’ or ‘new generation schools’ with ICT infrastructure.
These schools have WiFi access, paid for by the department for three years, computer labs, laptops for teachers, and interactive white boards, the MEC explained.
Silethukukhanyaka in Dukuduku is one example in the uMkhanyakude District of these schools.
He added that it was hoped the number would increase to 100 in the next financial year, if the budget allowed.
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