MATRIC pupils at Lenakeng Comprehensive School in Thabong, Welkom, will continue with their examinations today, despite their school having been burned down in what police suspect to be a case of arson and vandalism.
Free State education department spokesman Howard Ndaba said yesterday that examinations would continue as planned at the school today.
He said there was no need to panic at this stage.
Ndaba said about 55 matric candidates wrote their mathe-matics paper on Friday without any problems.
"We would like to urge the pupils to remain calm as examinations are set to continue. The rest of the examinations won't be affected," he said.
Police spokeswoman Sergeant Tlalanyane Pakela said they had not ruled out the possibility of arson at the school.
She said they had not established the cause of the fire, but would not rule out the idea that it was started by hooligans.
"It is not known how the fire started or who caused it. The fact that the fire was started after hours leaves us with many questions and we are investigating the possibility of arson," Pakela said.
She said the fire may also have been caused by an electrical failure, and this was also being investigated.
Pakela said police in Thabong had received a call on Friday evening that Lenakeng Comprehensive School in Constantia Road was on fire.
The police attended to the call immediately, but when they arrived at the school, the roof had already collapsed and the furniture was already damaged.
Pakela said the staff room, workshop and storeroom were the worst damaged, and the computer room was partially burned. Fortunately the computers were not affected.
No one was injured.
She said the damage was estimated at about R500000.
This is not the first time a school has been burnt down in Thabong in recent years.
In 2008, Leboneng School for Learners with Special Education Needs lost three classrooms after a fire broke out.
The fire was doused but the contents of the classrooms were burned to ashes. The damage to the building was estimated at R700000.
The education department is confident that exams will continue normally today.
Ndaba said pupils and educators must remain calm.
Pakela said no arrests had as yet been made.
She appealed to the community of Thabong and surrounding areas to assist the police in their investigations.
Pupils told not to panic after school torched
MATRIC pupils at Lenakeng Comprehensive School in Thabong, Welkom, will continue with their examinations today, despite their school having been burned down in what police suspect to be a case of arson and vandalism.
Free State education department spokesman Howard Ndaba said yesterday that examinations would continue as planned at the school today.
He said there was no need to panic at this stage.
Ndaba said about 55 matric candidates wrote their mathe-matics paper on Friday without any problems.
"We would like to urge the pupils to remain calm as examinations are set to continue. The rest of the examinations won't be affected," he said.
Police spokeswoman Sergeant Tlalanyane Pakela said they had not ruled out the possibility of arson at the school.
She said they had not established the cause of the fire, but would not rule out the idea that it was started by hooligans.
"It is not known how the fire started or who caused it. The fact that the fire was started after hours leaves us with many questions and we are investigating the possibility of arson," Pakela said.
She said the fire may also have been caused by an electrical failure, and this was also being investigated.
Pakela said police in Thabong had received a call on Friday evening that Lenakeng Comprehensive School in Constantia Road was on fire.
The police attended to the call immediately, but when they arrived at the school, the roof had already collapsed and the furniture was already damaged.
Pakela said the staff room, workshop and storeroom were the worst damaged, and the computer room was partially burned. Fortunately the computers were not affected.
No one was injured.
She said the damage was estimated at about R500000.
This is not the first time a school has been burnt down in Thabong in recent years.
In 2008, Leboneng School for Learners with Special Education Needs lost three classrooms after a fire broke out.
The fire was doused but the contents of the classrooms were burned to ashes. The damage to the building was estimated at R700000.
The education department is confident that exams will continue normally today.
Ndaba said pupils and educators must remain calm.
Pakela said no arrests had as yet been made.
She appealed to the community of Thabong and surrounding areas to assist the police in their investigations.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos