Education in the elements at Radha Roopsingh

The Grade four pupils at Radha Roopsingh Primary School in Etete are studying under a tree.

The 40 children have been studying outside since the schools opened in January. The school is overcrowded and there is a shortage of classrooms and teachers.

One of the teachers told the Courier that the department was notified of the problem last September.

Also read: Renewed promises placate overcrowded Etete schools

“Judging by the number of new pupils coming into the school we saw that we were going to have a problem. So we wrote to the education department and we were promised that mobile classrooms would be delivered by the end of January. This did not happen,” said the teacher.

He said there are only two primary schools in the area, Radha and Tinley Manor Primary School, and that both were overcrowded.

“If we refuse to admit the pupils, where will they go? So we had to ask for at least mobile classrooms. We thought the department would be loyal and keep its promise.”

School management had to sacrifice the two rooms that are meant to be the school’s kitchen and turn them into classrooms.

“It is a crisis, pupils are being squashed into these tiny rooms because there is no other option. Even if we get the mobile classrooms, we will still need to find teachers for those classrooms.”

Some parents protested and closed the school for three days last month. However, the school was reopened after the department acknowledged the problem and promised that a solution would be found.

The pupils are scheduled to write examinations soon and should help not be forth coming, they will have to write outside.

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