Vuwani funds gathering dust
A drive to raise funds for schools in the embattled Vuwani area of Limpopo has yielded R1.7-million, of which R500,000 has been set aside for desks, chairs, photocopy machines and books. The amount raised by 15 runners who took part in the Comrades Marathon for Vuwani is yet to be tallied.But Vuwani schools remain deserted, with the Department of Basic Education unable to implement a recovery plan or to distribute donor aid due to safety concerns.Education was thrown into crisis more than two weeks ago when 24 schools were torched in a demarcation dispute.Basic Education spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said teachers and pupils were being intimidated from attending school."We are unable to deploy donations to schools that are in need."The catch-up plan cannot be implemented because the situation is still volatile."Without parents, no plan can work," he said.Charlene Deacon, of the National Education Collaboration Trust operations, said: "Learners have lost almost a month of learning, teachers have no tools and then you have the tension that still lurks on the ground."..
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