The DA will submit parliamentary questions to MEC for Education in Mpumalanga, Mr. Bonakele Majuba on? as the need for more schools in Mpumalanga has become more evident.
The start of the 2023 academic year in the province has seen schools receive an overwhelming amount of learners. Schools are overcrowded and it seems like little to nothing is being done year after year by the provincial government to resolve the problem.
MEC Majuba stated a few months ago that he was aware of the infrastructure challenges and that the department is not meeting its targets in regards to school infrastructure. However, little has been done to ensure that these projects which were started several years ago get off the ground.
The department’s reluctance in dealing with overcrowding at schools has put teachers and principals under tremendous pressure. Even more concerning, the learning of learners is compromised. Over the years, the department has opted to provide mobile classrooms to schools instead of building schools.
These mobile classrooms are not sufficient to accommodate learners from all grades and they do not provide a conducive learning environment. Some of them do not have air conditioning and electricity. Currently, Mkhondo Boarding school is still a work in progress despite its initial completion time frame being two years ago.
Parents feel frustrated and resort to violence when their children are not registered at schools. Teachers and school administrators have been on the receiving end of backlash from disgruntled parents.
The department’s incompetence is causing damage to the psychological state of these teachers. These frustrations must be raised with the department of education and that MEC Majuba must answer as to why progress on building more schools or even classrooms take years to be completed.
The DA will submit urgent questions to MEC Majuba and to urge him to expedite these projects and to make sure that mobile classrooms are provided where possible to ensure that all learners are catered for in the 2023 academic year.