Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

Disgruntled parents of pupils from Faith Mlaba Primary School in Ntuzuma, north of Durban, took to the streets yesterday to demand mobile classes for their children.

Faith Mjekevu, chairman of the school governing body, said they decided to march to the circuit offices after numerous attempts to have more classes had failed.

"For the past five years it has been the same situation and we felt that if we didn't act, history would judge us," she said.

Last week a protest was held at the school but education authorities did not show up to take the memorandum, forcing parents to march to the circuit offices in KwaMashu.

During yesterday's protest march, parents met with education department officials and South African Democratic Teachers Union representatives to discuss the way forward. It was agreed that parents should write a letter to the director-general of education.

"We have already sent a letter to the director-general and will wait for his response. If we don't get it by next week Monday, we will go back to the streets," said Mjekevu.

Christi Naude, a spokesman for the provincial education department, said they would not be providing mobile classes this year.

"The department only promised mobile classrooms to Faith Mlaba for the 2007-08 financial year," she said.

"There are schools with greater needs and we cannot deviate from the priority list."