LYDENBURG – The special-needs school, Estralita is in total shambles on account of staff refusing to work overtime and over weekends.

The school, which caters for children with moderate to severe disabilities, apparently had no option but to send all hostel-dwelling kids home, as matters between the personnel and the Mpumalanga Department of Education are yet to be resolved.

According to a source at the institution, staff refuses to work over weekends and after hours claiming not to be shift workers.

“For the second time since July last year the children were sent home for an unlimited period due to the strike.

“The entire hostel has been empty for the past two weeks. Parents had to fetch the children and this is after school fees for this quarter had already been paid. Two weeks ago the teachers who were on duty had to jump in and cook because the kitchen personnel refused to do any cooking,” said the source.

Some of the kids in the hostel live as far away as Polokwane.

“Those parents don’t have money to just climb into a taxi again to fetch their child.”

The staff members on strike apparently also claim to only be household aid and not child-care assistants.

The school does not have any child-care assistants and the department seems to be dragging its feet in resolving the disputes and appointing extra staff members.

“In the meantime these severely disabled children are not receiving the stimulation and special care they need and deserve.”

According to the source, Estralita has been a political playground for the past year.

“There is only a handful of kids left. It is devastating to know that the teachers and other staff members’ hands are tied.”

As a result of the strike, teachers have been forced to work their ordinary school hours during the day and then take over all housekeeping duties at the hostel at night.

Estralita is one of the few special-needs schools in the province with boarding facilities and has an intake of children of all ages. At 725, Mpumalanga has the second highest number of special-needs kids in the country who are waiting to be accommodated in specialised schools.

“The situation at Estralita affects not only the learners currently enrolled, but all special-needs children in the province because it creates another barrier that denies them quality education.”

The principal, Ms Hanlie Swanepoel, referred all queries to the Mpumalanga Department of Education. The newspaper sent queries to Mr Jasper Zwane, spokesman for the department, regarding the current situation at Estralita. At the time of going to press no response had yet been received.