LIMPOPO – Parents at Masedi Primary School in Tshikota, outside Louis Trichardt, withdrew their children from classes today (July 29) and marched to the Soutpansberg West Circuit Office to raise concerns with the circuit manager about the deteriorating condition of the school’s infrastructure.

The parents say the ageing school has become a disaster waiting to happen.

Built in the early 1960s, the infrastructure has deteriorated significantly over the years and is no longer safe for teaching and learning.

Overcrowding and crumbling classrooms

They expressed concern about severe overcrowding and the poor condition of classrooms, warning that some of the buildings could collapse at any time.

The school, which accommodates more than 1,000 learners, has only 10 classrooms.

Two classroom blocks, each consisting of four classrooms, have become severely dilapidated and are no longer considered safe for use.

Cracked walls, holes in floors, leaking roofs

The classroom walls are cracked, the floors are riddled with holes, and the roofs leak during rainy weather. In addition, the school’s two mobile classrooms are also in a poor state, exposing both learners and educators to potential safety risks.

One of the parents, Adam Manari, said the safety of learners should be the department’s top priority.

“We need our children to be safe at this school,” he said. “We want the MEC to attend to our grievances. Since May, the MEC has not visited the school despite our concerns. That is the problem we have. Our children will not return to school until it is safe. We cannot allow them to attend classes in buildings that we know are unsafe.”

The protesting parents said they want the Limpopo Department of Education to urgently address the school’s infrastructure challenges before learners return to class.

They believe immediate intervention is necessary to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for both learners and educators.