The Western Cape education department says despite hurdles, which include late applications and R716.4m budget cuts that have affected construction of new schools, it is ready for the new school year and is fighting to place pupils when schools reopen on Wednesday. 

The department said as part of its rapid school build programme — an ambitious school infrastructure delivery programme aimed at building safe schools faster in poor communities — 10 new schools and three replacement schools are being built to accommodate the increasing number of learners pupils. 

“We are putting the finishing touches on our new junior high schools in Belhar (Cape Town), Fisherhaven (in Hermanus), and Kwanokuthula (in Plettenberg Bay), as part of our rapid school build programme,” said education MEC David Maynier in a statement. 

Maynier said despite a year-long delay due to clashes with construction mafia that intimidate and extort money from construction companies, the department has laid the foundations for a primary school and high school in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein. 

“Lwandle Primary School in Somerset West is also back on track following disruptions at the site. We are working hard to finish these delayed projects as soon as possible. In addition, classroom expansions are in progress or completed at dozens of existing schools, some of which have committed their own funding to expanding the number of places available in their schools.” 

Maynier said the high number of applications for grade 1 and 8 has seen education officials working throughout the school holidays. 

“Our officials and contractors have worked hard throughout the holiday period to ensure that we expand the number of places available for the learners we’ve already received applications for, and to prepare for the expected extremely late applications received since January 1.” 

Before schools closed in December, the department announced it had allocated places for 99.43% of grade 1s and 8s that had applied to Western Cape schools last year. 

Maynier said since the schools closed, “we have received new applications for learners whose parents had not previously applied, and we anticipate receiving many more in the coming weeks. 

“We have already received 609 new, extremely late applications in the first 10 days of January, and placement is currently in progress for 2,636 grade 1 and 8 learners.”

TimesLIVE