School Governing Body chairperson of Sizwe Secondary re-elected

The School Governing Body (SGB) welcomed the chairperson at Sizwe Secondary School in Elandsfontein for a second term with a new committee.

They re-elected Morekwa Kenny Phogole as the SGB chairperson, with Flora Matimela, Lucky Thaba, and Bantu Yabo serving as the vice chairperson, treasurer, and secretary.

Despite the school’s matric pass rate increasing from 71% in 2023 to 82.9% in 2024, the reality remains that teaching and learning continue under harsh conditions, as this paper has largely documented.

The sewage seeping into the school grounds forced the management to cancel athletic events indefinitely.

ALSO READ: Sewage spills continue to affect Sizwe Secondary learners

According to Phogole, the informal settlement has put the infrastructure at serious risk, causing systemic failures and endangering lives.

“As our numbers have grown annually, the Department of Education has attempted to alleviate the situation by providing us with four classes that have not yet opened. To begin using them, we need furniture.

“We have to deal with the problem of overcrowded classrooms. The additional classes will help with that burden. We have also asked the department to provide us with even more classes.

“The sewage is the main problem, and we have been working to assist the city in finding a solution.

“Despite contacting multiple departments, not much has been done. The sewage negatively affects staff and learners. To evaluate every learner in the school we require health inspectors at least once a month.

ALSO READ: Sizwe Secondary School receives new library

“Despite these challenging circumstances, we have maintained a constant pass rate, and currently aim for a 90% pass rate,” said Phogole.

“Achieving a 100% pass rate is the ultimate objective. The Department of Education must be fully involved and so the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), parents, and the community to achieve that.

“If we want to reach 100%, parents are crucial. We have already rolled out our year-long program, which includes extra classes on weekends. We have found a sponsor who will provide lunch for every learner present.

“We wanted them to be encouraged to attend – they have no reason for not attending. We received funding from another business to hire a second Afrikaans teacher; the money transferred into our account should enable us to cover the teacher’s salary. Our Afrikaans teacher should feel less burdened,“ said Phogole.

Phogole said the SGB and the school leadership have been in sync.

ALSO READ: New satellite office for Victim Empowerment Group launched at Sizwe Secondary

“The principal has been working sleepless nights to get things working, and the school has seen changes since the principal took over.

“Our biggest issue is behaviour. We have caught some learners with weed, cigarettes, and illegal items on the school grounds. Late-coming needs to be addressed with urgency.

The Elandsfontein Community Policing Forum (CPF) offers extra security at the school in addition to the security provided by the Department of Education. Safer City also assists.

“The CPF patrols around the school in the morning for the safety of learners and identifies those misbehaving on their way to school.

“We search every learner before they enter the school gate. Most of the learners are not from our area, therefore transportation or taxis may be delayed, which makes arriving late a struggle.

“The community now visits the school twice a month to clean it, demonstrating their high level of involvement,” said Phogole.

Phogole said they intended to hold a parents’ meeting to discuss problems that impact the school.

“We are required to hold three meetings annually. We will talk about things like learners’ behaviour, sewage, weekend studies, and all related topics in our first meeting,” said Phogole.

“The shadow health minister of the DA, Siviwe Gwarube, has visited the school.

“She pledged to bring our issues to parliament. In addition to the difficulties, our ward councillor, Kade Guerreiro, arranged a donation project that provided us with a library and a water tank.

ALSO READ: Incessant sewage problems in Elandsfontein wreak havoc

“It has been encouraging for the teachers to see more students using the library. The water tank will aid water security. Since last year, we have received furniture and sanitary pads.

“The school needs all the support it can get. As the SGB for the next three years, we want to see the sewage issue resolved. Our hall is used to hold both parent and staff meetings, as well as assembly sessions.’

Anyone who would like to get involved with the school and offer support can contact the school principal on 073 065 0083.