Parents have vowed to shut down a school in Gauteng due to a variety of prolonged issues that make it an unconducive environment for learners. Thubelihle High School has been plagued by school infrastructure issues such lack of sanitary hygiene, lights, and roofing that lets in rain due to vandalism.
Despite a notable 100% matric pass rate, the school has been in its present deteriorating state for five years. James Silinda, a current matriculant who has been a pupil at the school since Grade 8, says that not much has changed since he became one of its pupils.
Well, nothing has changed really, ever since it was the way it is, even now nothing has changed, the school is vandalized. Nothing is great in the school, but we do what we have to do we learn here.
Nomthandazo Hlongiwe, who is also among the learners at the school says that although their teachers work hard to ensure that they remain at their best, the school’s damaged environment does disrupt their learning experience when at school.
It's very hard because first of all, we don't have windows and it's winter, it's so cold and we are no longer doing social distance. It's very bad because even when it's raining, the rain comes inside so we’re not able to sit and listen to these teachers and we don't have lights.
In response, the Gauteng Department of Basic Education (GDE) issued a statement in which the department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona, said that they already made a funding allocation of R12 million five years ago.
“The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) had allocated approximately R12 million through the implementing agent the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) five years ago to refurbish Thubelihle High School in Soweto.” Said Mabona
Mabona further stated that, unfortunately, the implementing agency did not complete the school renovation project as mandated by the GDE. They urged the DID to expedite the process of hiring a new contractor if the existing one is terminated.
The School Governing Body has agreed to enable classes to resume on Friday, 13th May 2022.
