14 000 learners await school placement

POLOKWANE – DA Limpopo Leader, Jacques Smalle, sent an urgent request for answers and action to MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe, regarding the matter and Smalle said the problem with placement emphasises a lack of planning by the department.
This is a big concern for the DA as it is believed even more learners will find themselves stranded closer to the opening of the schools in a week’s time, Smalle said.
Annually, schools in the city are flooded with applications and every year several learners miss school days because they have to move to different schools or wait to be placed.
“We can confirm that Polokwane has the highest number of stranded learners with 6 996, followed by Musina with 3 028, Ba-Phalaborwa with 1 747 and Tubatse with 1 016. This is concerning as there are promises by the department of schools to be built, like the school in Bendor, which has not yet been realised,” Smalle said.
According to the DA, a root cause of overcrowding at certain schools is largely as a result of a concern over the lack of quality education and opportunities within recreational activities, such as sport and culture, which prompts learners to attend schools outside of their residential areas.
“There are at least 100 schools in Limpopo which are not being used. This is concerning as there is a need for more schools. The department does not seem to take the growth of the province into consideration with the need for more schools growing daily,” Smalle added.
The DA is concerned overcrowding, especially in quintile 1, 2 an 3 schools across the province, may affect the quality of education offered and hamper future educational outcomes.
“The ever-widening gap between no-fee schools and fee-paying schools needs to be addressed to ensure all learners receive the best possible education on an equal standard. The DA urges parents of affected learners to consider alternative schools in the event that they are displaced,” Smalle said.
Education Spokesperson, Sam Makondo, said the department is in the process of auditing the available space at all schools across Limpopo.
“The outcome of the audit will determine the course of action so learners get space. Some of the reasons learners are not placed is that schools say they are full through a head count before a departmental audit is done to determine if the schools are indeed full. The department executes its plan of building schools across the province annually and this is continuing. People whose children have not yet been placed at schools can go to their nearest circuit offices for assistance. They can also liaise with district offices. Parents are urged to exercise patience as the placement process unfolds,” he said.
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