Congress of South African Students (Cosas) in Alexandra has vowed to put the interests of high school learners first, as they press the Department of Education to respond to the schools’ infrastructure challenges.

Read more: Infrastructure challenges make Alexandra schools almost unusable

Cosas led a small demonstration in a number of high schools in Alexandra on February 4, disrupting learning in a bid to air their grievances.

“There are learners who are expected to learn inside a building that is shaking, and we have a problem with that. We have been trying to address it, sending letters [to relevant officials] trying to get it fixed, but it collapses on the learners,” Cosas spokesperson in Alexandra Cebo Mahaye said.

He noted that this was one of the pressing issues, which they want the Department of Education to address, before the building collapses and costs learners their lives. “Another thing is furniture. The schools have poor furniture, but they expect high academic performance from the learners. They expect 100% pass with poor infrastructure. It’s a lot, and it is hurting.”

Mahaye said that although they will continue to allow learners to come to school to receive education, they will keep disrupting learning until the Department of Education responds. “We won’t sit down with the Department of Education; we have been doing that with them for far too long. Now, it is time for Cosas to start a movement so that they can finally hear the voice of a black child.”

Also read: Parliamentary Constituency Office meeting highlights serious challenges in Alexandra schools

He said the challenges are so acute that in some schools, learners are taught while sitting on the floor, and Alex News can confirm that this was the situation at one of the high schools visited in Alexandra. Several learners sat on the floor and wrote on their laps, with no chairs and no tables, while others made use of makeshift chairs using broken tables to find the littlest comfort for a few hours a day. “This causes abuse and violence at schools, [because] learners fight over chairs and tables,” Mahaye said.

Cosas’ decision to disrupt learning was welcomed by some parents, who took to social media to share how the lack of furniture often fuels fights at schools. Learners in these schools have also shared their frustrations. During Cosas’ visit to one of the schools, some learners pointed out the worst conditions they endure daily, broken windows, collapsing ceilings, broken smart boards, broken doors, and dirty toilets.

Alex News sent questions to provincial education spokesperson Steve Mabika, but no response had been received by the time of going to print.

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