Damaged schools due to heavy rains
The Mpumalanga Department of Education fears that the persistent heavy rains could damage more schools.
In the past few weeks more schools were severely damaged by storms. This led to an increase in the number of damaged schools from 22, that were recorded at the end of October 2013 to 76, as of 14 December 2013.
This number is likely to double by January 2014 if the rains persist.
The estimated cost to repair schools or classes cannot be quantified at present, as the assessment process is still going on.
What is compounding this challenge, is that the department has exhausted its allocation of infrastructure development for 2013/14 which was R 586 million to construct 11 new schools, complete eight schools which were already under construction and other projects that are ongoing, including the construction of two boarding schools – one in Amsterdam at Mkhondo Local Municipality and the other at Emakhazeni Local Municipality.
This means that the department can only solicit funding to repair or replace the damaged structures in April 2014.
Whilst the department will do everything it can to ensure that learners are housed in safe conditions, it requests communities and school governing bodies to bear with it and work together to address this challenge.
The department will convene meetings before the re-opening of schools with affected school communities through their school governing bodies to explore feasible options, so that teaching and learning is at no stage affected.
Issued by the Mpumalanga Department of Education. For More information contact Mr Jasper Zwane at 083 743 1804 or j.zwane@education.mpu.gov.za.
