• Tweet

NEW DAWN: Pupils at Selowe Primary School at Silvermine village in Limpopojoin the assembly before the start of lessons. PHOTO: ELIJAR MUSHIANA

RELATED ARTICLES

• Volunteer teachers
• Support from parents to keep pupils safe
• Classes 'under trees' illegal
• Open-air school gets stamp of approval
• No books but exams on way
• Worrying state of schooling
• 'School disturbances will not be tolerated' - Chief
• Soweto principal suspended, fined for assaulting pupil
• School finally gets teachers
• Education department taken to court
• Great Leap forward for free schools

This was confirmed during a visit to the village by Limpopo MEC for education Namane Masemola yesterday. Masemola arrived to address the community about the decision that was taken to resolve the impasse that emanated from the village being without a school.

Silvermine village in Senwabarwana has been without a school, resulting in pupils having to walk long distances to neighbouring villages to have education. In January this year, parents decided to establish a school in their village as they feared for the safety of their children.

This was after two girls were nearly raped while walking in the bushes to schools in neighbouring Driekoppies and Kgwale villages.

Though the school was established in Silvermine, it did not have resources to cater for the 165 pupils. The school was not recognised by the department, only the name was with a view to get the school registered first before a proper school could be built next year.

The department had earlier offered to provide scholar transport to take pupils from the village to schools in the neighbouring villages. But parents of the pupils rejected the offer on the grounds that a similar arrangement had failed after the department abruptly terminated the contract of the scholar transport after only three months last year.

Masemola yesterday assured the community that, come July 16, an off-shoot satellite school would start operating in the village.

He said the school, though, would be managed by authorities at Kgwale Primary School from the nearby village.

"We will kick-start the process of providing mobile classrooms to the school so that when the date arrives makeshift facilities are available," Masemola said.

He said they would also move four teachers from Kgwale to Selowe, with one of them acting as principal of the satellite school.

"We are happy that the private sector has also promised to lend a helping hand in terms of building structures for a proper school," he said.

The move will, however, be a bitter pill to swallow for the teachers who had been working on a voluntary basis at the school. They will all be let off because out of the 14 of them, only two are qualified as teachers.

But Evans Seanego, the self-appointed principal of the school, said all they wanted was proof of the school's registration number before they could entertain the department's proposal.

BACKGROUND INFO: The school operating under marula trees

Selowe Primary School in Silvermine village near Senwabarwana (formerly Bochum) was established in January this year.

The school has 165 pupils, 14 teachers - including the principal - and eight "classrooms".

Seven of the classes from Grades 1 to 7 are conducted under trees, while a single shack erected by the community accommodates only Grade R pupils.

Of the 14 teachers, only two have relevant qualifications to teach the children.

Evan Seanego, the school's principal, is only in possession of a Matric certificate. Before taking up the position, he worked as a security guard in Gauteng.

All teachers work on a voluntary basis.

Selowe Primary is without proper infrastructure such as buildings, desks, chairs, textbooks, toilets and water.

Teachers have to carry water in containers to share with pupils. Both pupils and teachers relieve themselves in the bushes.

Pupils' parents clean the school premises in the mornings.

See our related links for more articles..

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Thu May 23 13:42:11 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 13, 2012

TshamulungwiBoy

KIKIKKIKI I understand dis guys were assisting but do you regard that thing a school "Of the 14 teachers, only two have relevant qualifications to teach the children.Evan Seanego, the school's principal, is only in possession of a Matric certificate. Before taking up the position, he worked as a security guard in Gauteng."

I wonder if dis guys were teaching this poor pupils updated staff. now when de govt start to assist them the former security gurad will be appointed inspector.

pls govt assist tuu


Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

zino

thanx sowetan,for making some people do their work.

aluda...
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Socrates

media should be appluaded for its bravery on socio-economic issues which our politicians seem to neglect
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Bodigelo

In most cases it is hard or almost impossible to believe that Limpopo is in South Africa.
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Mokgaditse

They must thank Jonny Mogaladi for the provision of the mobile class rooms. Well done Jonny, ZB is not only your home, but Limpopo as a whole. This people must have membership of your niece' team(Bay United) or you go fetch the class rooms if they don't.
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

WarrenG

I would like to teach there...Shiatsu and Yoga for health
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Sekgonkgothela

Shame on Namane! You behaved like a typical Bantustan Minister. Even these poor people know your antics of band-aid solutions. The bus transport that was withdrawn shows how inconsistent you are and how cruel of you to expose our young girls to rapists! Did it have to come to this to provide an education for destitude children? You have no face left to save. Let's see what temporary classrooms you will provide....after all it's an opportunity for a tender for your croonies. We are watching U Calf!
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Sizwe_M

"Pupils' parents clean the school premises in the mornings". I applaud the parents, if only others could be so concerned with their children's education then Government would act accordingly...
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

Rakgadi-Tabeya

Loso logolo ditshego!!!!
Report Abuse

Jun 13, 2012

MrsObama2

Dear Mr President

My child has the right to go to a dignified (even if not fancy) school.
Report Abuse

Read all 12 comments