Osizweni Secondary School learners protests over lack of transport

eMBALENHLE – Frustrated learners of Osizweni Secondary School embarked in a protest on Wednesday, 10 April over the school management’s failure to organise buses to transport them back home.

This came after the school extended teaching and learning hours as part of their recovery program of the eight lost days of the academic year.

The school principal, Mr Mthuphi, said the eight days were lost during strikes by various organisations including Megabus and Cosatu, as well as a service delivery protest.

He said he noticed that learners struggled to get transport after school and said he will attend to that urgently.

The learners said the school now closes at 3.15pm and by that time, there are no buses to transport them back home and they are forced to hitch-hike which is high risk.

“The principal and the school governing body were suppose to organise with Megabus to transport us before implementing this decision.

“They did not even inform our parents that school hours will be extended.

“It is not safe to hitch-hike, especially for the learners from Leandra who arrive home very late.

“We call on the SGB and the school management to rectify this,” said one of the learners.

The learners also raised concerns about the condition of the school.

They said the school buildings are dilapidated and parts of the classroom ceilings are falling from the roof, posing a danger to them.

They also complained about the bad condition of the tuck shop and that they have to drink dirty water from the Jojo tanks.

The learners also asked Mr Mthuphi and the SGB to relook the hairstyle policy.

They said the school policy allows female learner to do braids, but does not allow them to do fade haircut known as iKhekhe in the township.

They said not all of them can afford braids, but iKhekhe is cheap.

Things are currently back to normal.

The school will attend to the grievances of the learners.