Maruleng mayor backs reopening of Ga-Rakoma school
Maruleng Mayor Tsheko Musolwa pledges support to reopen Rankagele Primary School in Ga-Rakoma, launching a recruitment drive to boost enrolment.
HOEDSPRUIT – Maruleng Local Municipality Mayor Tsheko Musolwa has pledged his support for the reopening of Rankagele Primary School in Ga-Rakoma, which was recently closed due to low learner enrolment.
The temporary closure followed guidelines from the Limpopo Department of Education, which require schools to have at least 130 learners to remain operational. The decline in enrolment at Rankagele Primary School has sparked frustration among parents and community members, who fear the loss of accessible education for their children.
During a stakeholder meeting that brought together parents, community representatives, and officials from the Department of Education, Musolwa assured attendees that the municipality would actively work towards reopening the school.
“Education is the backbone of our community, and we must ensure that every child has access to learning close to home,” he said.
As part of his intervention, the mayor announced that Rankagele Primary School would be adopted under the municipality’s back-to-school campaign. This initiative aims to strengthen rural schools, improve enrolment rates, and raise awareness among parents about the importance of keeping children in local schools.
In addition, Musolwa will lead a recruitment drive targeting parents from surrounding villages to encourage them to register their children at Rankagele Primary School. This effort is aimed at meeting the required learner threshold and ensuring the school can resume operations without further disruptions.
Community members have expressed cautious optimism about the mayor’s commitment. Some parents voiced concerns over the long-term sustainability of small rural schools but welcomed the municipal initiative.
“It is encouraging to see the mayor taking concrete steps. We hope this will help our children continue learning close to home,” said one parent.
Musolwa emphasised that community cooperation is key to sustaining local schools. He urged parents, local leaders, and teachers to work together to maintain enrolment levels, improve learning outcomes, and safeguard the future of rural education in the region.
