Thousands back to class

Some of Gauteng's new schools hope their first day will be hassle-free as thousands of pupils return to class today.

Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy announced on Sunday that 36 schools will be opened in the first term of this year - 13 will open today.

Creecy said R200-million was spent on the schools and she expected teaching on the first day of school as late registration would be handled by district offices.

While there were still some infrastructure challenges at some schools, Denver Primary School in southern Johannesburg, built out of pre-fabricated material, will open its gates today.

The final construction touches were being made at Denver Primary yesterday, but it is already fully furnished with desks and chairs . W orkers were laying down green grass around the school grounds yesterday.

Charlotte Eckersley, the school's principal, said they were ready to welcome the first 500 pupils to the school that has a capacity to accommodate 1065 pupils.

The no-fee school will accommodate pupils from the recently closed Ekukhanyeni Primary School and children from the surrounding township and informal settlement.

"Our textbooks and other resources have also been delivered.

"This being a brand new school, we would have loved to have teaching only happening [today], but I think we will have a bit of orientation as well, but we definitely will teach," she said.

In Tshwane, only one out of six new schools will open today. The rest will be open by the end of this month.

Gauteng education spokesman Charles Phahlane said Olivenhoutbosch Secondary School, south of Pretoria, will open today.

He said Lehwelereng Secondary School in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, was supposed to open today but recent heavy rains delayed construction . The school will be ready on Friday or Monday.

The school's excited principal, Maropeng Motshegoa, said his more than 480 Grade 8 and 9 pupils will be in class today.

"We do not have electricity yet, but we are going to use a generator and otherwise everything else is in place. I do not know what the department is talking about when it says we are not opening. I am telling you and I insist that we will be open for business," he said.

The Gauteng department of education announced yesterday that pupils who want to write Grade 12 supplementary examinations have until Friday to register.