400 Manoke learners cannot get to school
This is because the Limpopo Department of Education is yet to renew its contract for their scholar transport.
Learners of Majaditshukudu, Dresden and Apiesdoring villages in Burgersfort are at home while their peers attend school.
This is because the Limpopo Department of Education is yet to renew its contract for their scholar transport.
Since the schools reopened, these children have only attended classes once. The three villages that are on the outskirts of Burgersfort have no secondary schools.
The learners are forced to travel a few kilometres to and from a nearby school at Ga-Manoke Village, Manoke Secondary School.
“About 400 learners cannot attend classes. On the first day of school the transporter alerted them he won’t be taking them to school as his three-year contract was yet to be renewed. Some have arranged alternative transport while others cannot afford to do so. We are pleading with the department to sort out these challenges as the pupils are falling behind in their studies,” said a representative of the school, who is not authorised to talk to the media.
According to the source, most of the learners cannot afford private transport.
“We are a quantile one school and we are serving impoverished communities. This issue has to be fixed in due course.”
“Every day we get ready with the hope that the bus will pick us up, but since January 12 no bus has pitched,” said a Grade 10 pupil from Majaditshukudu.
The learners told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that this is affecting their academic progress. “We are missing out. This will make us fail our exams.”
Parents are pleading with the Limpopo Department of Education to arrange buses for the children.
The DA spokesperson for education in Limpopo, Jacques Smalle, said, “Children who walk long distances to school daily face real and present dangers that can strip them of their identity, their dignity and possibly their lives. But they are avoidable dangers. Safe and reliable scholar transport would allow learners to be protected from crime and give them much needed peace of mind.”
The education department’s spokesperson, Mike Maringa, confirmed to Steelburger/Lydenburg News that it will investigate the matter.
“I know the areas have had scholar transport challenges since the start of the term. It is also correct that the previous term (tender) has elapsed and new service providers were appointed. Some of the routes do not have buses due to service providers who declined the offers for various reasons. The routes will soon be advertised at a district level.”
According to a national policy on scholar transport, this responsibility is shared between the departments of transport and education at provincial and national levels.
