Parents at a Mamelodi school, east of Pretoria, disrupted lessons on Tuesday in a protest for the refurbishment of the old primary school.
The parents gathered at the gates of Zakhele Primary School and turned away pupils, demanding that the Gauteng department of education must urgently prioritise the school and its crumbling structures.
Some parents told Sowetan the protest followed their numerous attempts, signing and lodging of petitions to get the department to fix the old school for years. They vowed to protest until the department fixed the school.
“I'm disappointed in the Department of Education for not keeping its promises, and I won't allow my children to attend classes with a ceiling that can collapse on top of them,” parent Nomsa Kekana said.
Kekana said parents held a meeting last week with officials from the department, who allegedly promised that they will ensure that mobile classes are erected at the school in the meantime.
The school is one of the oldest schools in Mamelodi . Three weeks ago, a ceiling collapsed, injuring three pupils and an assistant teacher.
Former pupils and locals told Sowetan the school, which was built in 1957, has never been renovated or upgraded in 64 years.
Floors in most of the classrooms are riddled with holes, with tiles damaged or missing. Some of the classrooms do not have any tiles, with the floors being bare cement.
Another parent, Kelebogile Manyatsi, 38, said: “I'm angry because the Department of Education is waiting for pupils to die here before they can fix the school.”
Manyatsi said they have been complaining to the department for the past six years to consider rebuilding the school.
Former pupil at the school and now parent, 36-year-old Alicia Marishane, was among the protesters. She lessons will not continue “until the school is safe for our children and teachers”.
Marishane said 10 classrooms are not in a position to be used as ceiling boards are already collapsing.
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said they are aware about the disruption of teaching and learning at the school by parents. Mabona said the department wishes to assure parents that the procurement of mobile classrooms was at an advanced stage and that delivery was expected during the course of the school holiday.
“We implore parents to refrain from disrupting schooling and find alternative ways of addressing their grievances and the country is now faced with the Covid-19 pandemic and such protests are likely to worsen the spread of the virus,” Mabona said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.