Children taught under gazebos
SCHOOL CHILDREN are being taught under gazebos at a Germiston school - east of Johannesburg - because of overcrowding while the government insists that an extra 113 learners be accommodated.
MAKING DO: Galway Primary School, in Germiston, on the first of school. Children are seen attending classes in tents due to lack of classrooms.
PHOTO: BUSI MBATHAParents and the school-governing body maintain that the school is full and shouldn't have taken the extra Grade 1 pupils. The impasse arose after the Ekurhuleni South education district ordered Galway Primary School to admit 113 more pupils this year.
The school has 703 pupils registered in its books - a number parents and the SGB say is over the school's capacity, which has resulted in " overcrowded" classrooms.
Sowetan visited the school and witnessed 64 learners being taught under two pop-up gazebos on the grass near the reception area.
This has apparently been going on case for the past three weeks since schools reopened on January 18.
SGB chairperson Angelon Mokoena told Sowetan the education district's actions had left the school in an untenable position.
"The district asked for a list of all the people who applied and were eventually admitted. Following that, they instructed the principal (Riette van den Berg) to admit 113 (grade one) learners," Mokoena said.
Parents gave district director Jerry Bhagaloo an ultimatum to address the matter or they would take it up with Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. They petitioned Bhagaloo, Creecy and institutional support and developmental officers Masondo Nkosi and Links Govender for six mobile classrooms, one set of toilets each for boys and girls as well as furniture for the classrooms.
Parents accused the district and the provincial education department of having made "little or no progress" in addressing their concerns.
Galway primary was a pre-primary school with room for 300 pupils before it became a primary in 1999.
The numbers of pupils have continued to rise over the years but no modifications have been made to the premises.
An SGB member, who chose to remain anonymous, said "Things never run smoothly here. Some parents don't pay school fees. The school needs to have R150 000 a month for salaries and if parents don't pay but the department classifies us as Quintile five (a financially well-off grading), how are we supposed to manage?
"Only 35 percent (of parents) pay school fees."
School fees are R450 a month . The school also receives a government subsidy of between R250000 and R300000 a year .
The department admitted there was a huge demand for places at the school and the Germiston area in general.
GDE spokesman Charles Phahlane said four prefabricated classrooms were going to be allocated to Galway.
He said Galway had the option of applying for a no-fee school status but that "no such application has been received from that school".
pussycat12
This is unfair, our government must do something!Winter is in the corner,they can't survive.
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Pointman
What are they going to do when it rains? One months catering budget for the Gauteng Legislature will secure these kids some decent classrooms.Report Abuse
madamx
This is really sad.Come winter they wont be able to sit on that grass.
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BaleliM
The school my kids go to have put something that looks like portable class rooms to be able to accomodate all students. it is warm, has windows and as big as any normal class. Maybe the school needs to look into acquiring something like that and move the kids before winter comes.Report Abuse
pik_it_up
i thought this only happened in rural areashow are these pupils supposed to concerntrate and actually learn something
can we stop changing street names and highways for one second and start investing money into infrastructure
this is ridiculous
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candilious
13 New schools build why force another. This goes to show how incompetent Goverment employees are we heading for the 2nd week of the 2nd month and still nothing has been done.Keep on voting for these ill mannered and Illiterate bafoons.....
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ngutha
This is what happens when politicians waste R20 billion in a year for useless things.,
Important things like education and community upliftment always suffers.
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Balobedu
This people are serious thugs. They even stole from their own pockets. this is stupidity. How can you still your own money in your own pocket. ANC is dead under the current leadership. ANC is dead. i urge all ANC members to come and join DA. as DA, our doors are open. We will welcome even Jacob Zuma, Julias Malema and Cassel Mathale. DA is the best political party in SA. Let's leave racial politics and focus on real issues. viva DAAAAAAAAAAA viva. Now they can't even pay the salaries of their employees.Report Abuse