Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
Pretoria - More than 30 schools in Gauteng are still using the platoon system, despite the lifting of lockdown restrictions and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s order for the return to normal schooling throughout the country in April.
This was revealed by the Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in his written reply to questions by DA spokesperson on education Khume Ramulifho in the legislature.
Ramulifho asked Lesufi for details about the number of rotational learning schools, after Minister of Education Angie Motshekga declared all learners must return to normal schooling.
In reply, Lesufi gave a list of 38 schools on rotational learning, saying 19 of the 38 schools managed to return to school full time, leaving the other 19 on rotational learning.
“However, 15 new schools have moved from full time attendance to rotational learning, bringing the total number of schools on rotational learning to 34,” Lesufi said.
He provided the list and the schools were in various parts of the province, including Tshwane, Joburg and Ekurhuleni.
In his defence for the continued system, Lesufi said these 15 new schools were schools that were oversubscribed, and continued to use overcrowded classrooms and alternative spaces, such as make-shift shelters outside.
“These make-shift shelters could not be used during winter due to the rainy, cold and windy days,” he said.
To explain intervention made by his department to avert further crises, Lesufi said he has made provision for mobile schools as an interim measure while his department was working on a more permanent intervention.
“This mode of intervention will continue, given that the department is concluding a procurement process to appoint a panel of service providers that will supply the mobile schools where there are learner overflows.
“(We will increase) the threshold limit of funds transferred to schools to enable the schools to build additional classrooms needed. This measure is ongoing given that 128 schools have been funded to deliver 641 classrooms,” Lesufi said.
He said the department has nine schools under construction, two expected to be completed this year.
“The department has appointed a new implementation agent that is intended to increase the rate at which the department delivers new and replacement infrastructure.
“To this end, 15 new and replacement projects have been allocated and are at a planning and design stage. It is anticipated that contractors will be appointed at the end of the year for the construction to commence,” Lesufi said.
In his reaction, Ramulifho said that it was extremely concerning as learners would continue to miss out on much-needed everyday learning.
According to Lesufi, 19 of the 34 schools have been on a rotational learning system since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
The other 15 schools have been forced to adopt the rotational learning system due to infrastructure challenges and overcrowding in classrooms.
“It is unacceptable that the department’s failure to fix school infrastructure has resulted in schools adopting the rotational learning system.
“Furthermore, there have been unnecessary delays by the department in providing additional mobile classrooms and learning materials to the schools facing severe challenges of overcrowding in classrooms,” he said.
Ramulifho said his party demanded that Lesufi must end the rotational learning system in Gauteng, saying the department must provide additional resources to all the 34 schools following the rotational learning system to ensure that everyday learning and teaching resume as a matter of urgency.
He said they also demanded that Lesufi prioritises fixing the schools’ dilapidated infrastructure as it hinders everyday learning and teaching.
“We will also be conducting oversight inspections of some of the 34 schools following the rotational learning system to ascertain how they can be assisted to return to everyday learning and teaching systems.
“The rotational learning system is killing the future of our children and trapping them in poverty. The DA will use all the mechanisms at our disposal to end the rotational learning system now for the benefit of our future generations,” Ramulifho said.
Pretoria News