Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department has promised to find a school for farm children, but the youngsters are still waiting and are still learning under trees.

The department, however, says parents don't want to send their children to another school.

The children, from Eshowe on the KwaZulu- Natal coast, have been learning in the open since a farmer demolished their school last year.

At the time Christi Naude, from the provincial Education Department, said: "As a temporary measure, the children will be accommodated by a nearby school until the matter is resolved. We will also be transporting pupils."

But on Monday angry parents said they were still waiting for the bus. They accused the department of "playing dirty games with the future of our children".

"They promised us something they knew they would never provide," said Sbahle Mngadi, a parent and chairman of the local development committee.

Naude said arrangements were made, but the parents were reluctant to allow their children to go to another school.

"They said they wanted their own school."

She said the department had started building a new school in the area after another farmer provided them with a site.