EVATON – More than 60 Grade 8 learners from Mopholosi Secondary School had to be divided into other classes after their mobile class burned beyond recognition over the school holidays.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), a veld fire which started outside the school premises spread inside the school due to dry grass and wind. The class, together with all the furniture, was destroyed in the fire.

“The school community intervened and called the firefighters to extinguish the fire, and they managed to contain the blaze. Unfortunately, a Grade 8 classroom was affected. We can confirm that school resumed as normal.”

Following the incident, the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) in Sedibeng District conducted an oversight at the school.

Regional Secretary Thabiso Radebe says the association learnt with great shock about the incident that occurred during the school holidays.

“The association conducted its own school loco inspection visit on July 21. We have seen the severe damage caused to the mobile classroom structure. We appreciate SMT and SGB for temporary arrangements for moving the affected Grade 8 learners to alternative classrooms.”

The NASGB, however, notes challenges of overcrowding, which is a serious problem at many of the public ordinary schools.

“Mopholosi Secondary School is one of the best-performing township schools; therefore, we must not allow this current unfortunate situation to demoralise both educators and learners’ motivation due to resource limitations.”

The association requests that the GDE treat the fire incident as an emergency and dispatch a new mobile classroom as soon as possible.

Responding to whether GDE would be replacing the mobile classroom, the department said:
Accordingly, fire engines were dispatched to the said school to assess the damage caused by this unfortunate incident. We will continue to monitor the situation and intervene accordingly.