The administration and ablution blocks as well as 11 classrooms at Garies High School in the Northern Cape were gutted by fire on Saturday.
The provincial education department confirmed that firefighters from Springbok, Aggeneys and Vredendal were involved in dousing the blaze.
The department said 216 pupils were enrolled at the school, with 136 in the hostel.
“Answer scripts, learning and teaching support material, and school furniture have been destroyed.
“The school hall, two classrooms, the woodwork room, storeroom and an unused ablution block have not been affected,” it said, adding that MEC for education Zolile Monakali and head of department Moira Marais will visit the school on Monday to assess the damage.
Meanwhile, Donne-lee Jano from the Namakwa Civic Movement said a shortage of functional firefighting equipment and trained fire and rescue personnel across the Namakwa district must be addressed as soon as possible.
“It’s incredibly sad and tragic what’s happening in Garies right now. We will enter into discussions with the education department about the appointment of a departmental task team to determine the damage and the drawing up of a contingency plan so that learners’ academic performance is not harmed.”
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Northern Cape school gutted by fire
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The administration and ablution blocks as well as 11 classrooms at Garies High School in the Northern Cape were gutted by fire on Saturday.
The provincial education department confirmed that firefighters from Springbok, Aggeneys and Vredendal were involved in dousing the blaze.
The department said 216 pupils were enrolled at the school, with 136 in the hostel.
“Answer scripts, learning and teaching support material, and school furniture have been destroyed.
“The school hall, two classrooms, the woodwork room, storeroom and an unused ablution block have not been affected,” it said, adding that MEC for education Zolile Monakali and head of department Moira Marais will visit the school on Monday to assess the damage.
Meanwhile, Donne-lee Jano from the Namakwa Civic Movement said a shortage of functional firefighting equipment and trained fire and rescue personnel across the Namakwa district must be addressed as soon as possible.
“It’s incredibly sad and tragic what’s happening in Garies right now. We will enter into discussions with the education department about the appointment of a departmental task team to determine the damage and the drawing up of a contingency plan so that learners’ academic performance is not harmed.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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