Additional classrooms are being constructed at three schools in the area this year.
The shortage of schools and classes has been of great concern to parents in the area.

In January, a number of pupils from grade one were unable to start their school careers because they were not placed in a public school.

Parents were frustrated, as most could not afford to enrol their children in private schools.

During its budget speech the Department of Education announced that it will be building 163 additional classrooms this financial year. Ehlanzeni district will get 48.

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Department of Education’s spokesman, Jasper Zwane, said the building process is at different stages of implementation and each project has its own completion date.

“They all range between construction and procurement. Some are at one per cent, others 95 per cent complete,” he said.

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At two schools classrooms are already being built. Mdzimba Primary School in Phola, near Hazyview, has 24 classrooms under construction and Mtfophi Primary School in Daantjie has 24 classrooms under construction.

Salubindza Primary School in White River is “under planning”. It has been allocated
15 classrooms.

“The eradication of overcrowding (provision of classrooms) is within the department’s plans to ensure that all schools have adequate classrooms by 2020, hence the department is working towards complying with the target date,” Zwane said.