Residents threaten to take state to court over closed school
COMMUNITY members of Puana village near Zeerust, North West, are threatening to take the education department to court if it does not reopen a local school.
DISILLUSIONED: Residents discuss the way forward after the closure of a local school. PHOTO: BOITUMELO TSHEHLE
Yesterday the village chief, Kofo Mokgatlhe, called the community and legal aid officials to his kraal to discuss the way forward so they could get their school back.
Puana Primary School was first closed in July 2010 after the department of education's concerns that it had a low enrolment.
At the time of closure the school had 117 learners instead of the required 200.
After its closure the children were taken to the nearby Gareosenye Primary School 2km away.
Parents became worried by the distance the children had to walk every day.
To add to their ordeal, muthi murders are allegedly rife in the village and pupils have to cross a dangerous river that overflows during heavy rains.
Advocate Nzame Skibi of the Mafikeng Legal Justice Centre said 117 learners were enough for the school to operate.
"We want to see how much support we have ... if there is enough support from parents, we hope the department of education will consider reopening the school," Skibi said.
He said he was going to write a letter to the department demanding that they reopen the school within 10 working days.
The building is now used for an Abet school. It has 11 classrooms, a computer lab, a staff room and toilets.
Angry residents said they could not take the pressure anymore. They said the department had misled them.
"They promised that if they closed the school they would provide transport for learners but that has not happened," one resident said.
Chief Mokgatlhe said they had built the school themselves in 1961. He said the community had to donate money to build the school from scratch.
But the school's principal, London Khunou, , said the school had operated with too few learners for a long time. He said 117 learners enrolled in 2009, but in June they were only left with 67 pupils since others had moved to Gareosenye.
One resident, Maabea Mokgatlhe, 68, who had two grandchildren in Puana, expressed the hope that the school would be reopened.
"The reopening of this school will benefit the community, " she said.
Selina Segaetsho, 59, who also had a child at Puana, said the school was an asset to the community.
"It's sort of a landmark, it's a tragedy to experience the closure."
Departmental spokesman Gershwin Chuenyane said they would first have to conduct investigations before commenting on the matter.
sekhebereshe
"Puana Primary School was first closed in July 2010 after the department of education's concerns that it had a low enrolment."so the government prefer the schools over crowded...cause the less the students is the more each student will get the teachers attension..
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ke-tla-go-ja-gore
Bathong, wat's wrong with our system? Is the department been operated like a taxi, always overloaded? Please apoint me me as a minister of education. I also have a fake accent.Report Abuse
somaartakeit
"Residents threaten to take state to court over closed school" in so doing please remember that you got the state you voted for!!!Report Abuse
PolokwaneGirl
Hai, just open the school people, why do children have to suffer and walk so far because of selfish government officials.Report Abuse
Bebesocs
This government does not have a south africanchild at heart, the whole education system provincially and nationally is out in arms to destroy the future of the black south african child,the ANC and its teachers do not think that they can be taken into task about the acts and omissions. Any way the head of the country is not well educated and does not see the importance of educating the child. Look how the department of education and the teachers destroy eastern cape, they need to be sued and monies deducted from their salaries. The country must support those who take education department to court of law.Report Abuse
Papage
The so called Education centres in S.A are not regulated, there are so many " fly by night schools" and parents with no clue what is going on pay so much for their kids to this schools, Government must wakeup and get rit of these school. Everybody claim to have qualifications, but not employed, it is because your qualification is "O", you know nothing. I have met few Learnership students at my work place, it is shocking what this kids know, I am saying the Government must check the quality of education our so education centres are giving to our kids, I am sick of this, I think I will send my kids to the United States for them to have a future. Just think of the school under trees, Eish someone do something.Report Abuse