Durban — The mayor of Mtubatuba Local Municipality has raised concerns about schools that have not been repaired as the schools reopened on Wednesday for the 2024 academic year.
Mayor Mxolisi Mthethwa said three primary schools had not been fixed by the Department of Education after they were damaged by the floods.
The primary schools are Isigcino in ward 14, Machibini in ward 10 and Ingaqa in ward 15. He said Ingaqa Primary School was badly damaged but had not been repaired and parents were worried about what they were going to do. He said he knew that mobile classrooms were delivered to one school but they were not enough.
“I know that Isigcino Primary School has not been fixed and Ingaqa School, that one is worse,” said Mthethwa.
Mthethwa said he was still waiting for feedback from other stakeholders to see how they could assist the schools in terms of donating more stationery.
The Department of Education recently said it was ready for the 2024 academic year. Moreover, the department had not responded to the Daily News with regards to these schools by the time of publication.
However, when the department tabled its state of readiness in the province, its spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said their ultimate responsibility was to ensure an environment conducive to teaching and learning.
He said the recent storms and floods caused severe damage to school infrastructure, where 59 schools in 9 of the 12 districts were affected.
“The department has put in place various measures to ensure that affected schools are provided with interim measures which include mobile classrooms, mobile ablution facilities and dislodging of existing ablution facilities,” Mahlambi said at the time.
He added that service providers had been appointed and work had commenced.
He further stated that the learner admission programme began on April 12 last year and the registration period closed on September 30.
“Admissions were administered smoothly in 2023 and the province finished the year with no unplaced learners when school closed.”
MEC for the department Mbali Frazer urged all stakeholders and role-players in the education sector to work with the department in providing accessible and quality education.
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