By Odwa Bafana Mkentane
The African National Congress (ANC) has cautiously welcomed recent developments in the ongoing crisis at Nduli Primary School, where learners have been forced to attend classes in shifts and travel long distances after the school’s premises were declared unsafe. The party says it welcomes the Western Cape Education Department’s engagement with stakeholders, the South African Human Rights Commission’s confirmation that it is investigating alleged human rights violations, and Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education taking up the matter. However, the ANC says these interventions must now lead to urgent and concrete solutions for affected learners, parents and teachers.
Leader of the Opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature Khalid Sayed says these developments show the seriousness of the continued disruption to learners’ education and the need for urgent action.
“We call on the newly appointed Education MEC, Honourable Jaco Londt to make an executive undertaking in this House that he will meet directly with the Nduli school community and relevant stakeholders as soon as possible, preferably within the coming week,”said Sayed
Sayed added that this matter requires political will and decisive intervention, and learners cannot continue to suffer while solutions are delayed.
“When MEC Londt’s new department finally accepted the fact that the school building was unsafe and thus shifted learners to other locations, parents were told the matter will be resolved within two months. Six months have now passed, and the crisis remains unresolved. Every further day of disruption risks deepening the violation of their constitutional right to safe, accessible and quality education,” he said.
Photo: Councillor Andile Gili
