It has been a challenging first two days of school for some pupils who found themselves studying under trees after a mobile classroom was blown away by storm last month.
The grade 2 pupils at a dilapidated Dibeng Primary School at Dibeng village in Ga-Matlala, Limpopo, gathered under one of the trees where learning continued under a rain-threatening weather.
Opposite to where the pupils had assembled for lessons, is a damaged white mobile classroom.
Chairperson of the school governing body (SGB) Charles Cholo has accused the provincial education department of deliberately ignoring their predicament.
“We called the department and we reported that the situation is dire and urgent because some pupils are going to study under a tree, but as usual we were promised [some action].
“We thank God that pupils were on holidays when the mobile classroom was damaged. It could have been a disaster,” he told Sowetan when we visited the school on the first day of learning on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, Cholo told Sowetan that the children were still learning under the tree.
Cholo said the pupils were struggling to pay attention to their teacher as they get distracted by activities in the schoolyard.
Last year, frustrated parents at the same school took it upon themselves to relocate their children from a dilapidated building to corrugated shack classrooms which were build by community members.
Cholo said the pupils' plight is worsening as the shack classrooms are leaking.
“The recent rains and hailstorm caused more damage to our school. The shacks we built last year now leak because we used old material to erect them,” he said.
He said despite their public outcry, none of senior education officials have visited the school.
Department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said they were aware of the dire situation at Dibeng.
“We are aware of the damage caused by storm at Dibeng Primary School. The district director has already started the process of procuring mobile classrooms to relieve the school,” she said.
“We will work with the school around a rotational timetable to cater for learners while awaiting delivery of mobile classes as an interim solution. Long-term interventions are still under discussion by stakeholders,” said Chuene.
Parent Mary Mpai told Sowetan that the department has neglected them by not building a proper school.
“All the dilapidated blocks were built by the community (years ago), hence they now need to be replaced. I'm a former SGB chairperson and in my tenure, we raised the issue of poor infrastructure but to date they are failing to do the right thing,” she said.
At least over 200 pupils at the school are all using mobile classrooms as the old blocks remain unsafe due cracks in the walls and roofs that are falling off.
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