Classes at Simunye Secondary School were disrupted on Monday, 12 March, when learners demanded that a new school be built.
Disgruntled learners said the current infrastructure, consisting of portable classrooms, is no longer in good shape and must be replaced immediately as they fear that they may collapse. They said that over time the existing infrastructure has suffered sustained wear and tear, and can only be fixed by building a proper facility.
Msizi Nzimande, member of the Regional Executive Committee of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) in the West Rand Region, said for far too long, learners have been expressing their dissatisfaction about the inferior infrastructure of the school, yet nothing has been done.
Speaking to the Herald at the school, Nzimande said learners at the school face unsafe and unhygienic conditions.
“Once we realised that no one was willing to listen to us, we were left with no choice but to take this matter to the streets,” Nzimande said.
Nzimande said the learners would like to know why there is such a delay in providing a new school.
The Herald approached the school’s principal for comment, but was told that the school will not be making any statement.
