The DA Gauteng continues to urge MEC Panyaza Lesufi to meet the minimum norms and standards at schools across the province.
During an oversight visit to three Tembisa schools; Emmangweni Primary School, Seotloana Primary School and Tlama-tlama Primary School the DA found an urgent need for infrastructure development and more school teachers.
While the national learner\teacher ratio for primary schools is 1:40 (forty learners to one teacher), Setloana Primary School has 1209 students and is over capacitated by 300 learners, with up to 60 children in some classes. To accommodate learners, the school has been forced to borrow chairs from a neighbourhood orphanage.
Overcrowded classrooms place unnecessary strain on teachers’ ability to teach, and to assist struggling learners. It also places increased strain on infrastructure such as toilet facilities, and with no sports field children are restricted to a cramped playing area.
The situation at Tlama-tlama Primary School is similar, with only 37 teachers to teach 1400 learners and some classes having 53 learners in a class. The school lacks both a play area and a sports field, forcing learners to have sports at the grounds near Makholong stadium.
This is not acceptable, and not conducive to a proper learning and teaching environment.
Despite Emmangweni Primary school being well-run and teacher and parents working together the needs for more teachers cannot be ignored. The school has 1625 learners to 39 teachers.
The parallels between self-development and a child’s sense of self is deeply rooted in individual attention children receive from their teachers. Overcrowded classes like the ones seen in these schools, impede this development.
The DA urges the MEC to take these concerns seriously. We will also raise these concerns within the Social development and Education portfolio committees. The need for proper infrastructure needs to be addressed if we are to prepare a generation of industry leaders and educate our communities.
Media enquiries:
Refiloe Nt’sekhe
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development
060 558 8297