Soshanguve pupils will go back to school soon… if there is one

Pupils in Soshanguve have reason to feel stressed. Along with their fear of contracting Covid-19 and missing much of the academic year is their concern about returning to a school that lies in virtual ruin.

Three schools in the area north of Pretoria have been sabotaged by arsonists. Since the lockdown began about 962 schools in the country have suffered this fate. And there is no money for repairs.

Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department had no budget for repairs. Resources for maintenance and for new schools and classrooms, he said, were stretched.

At Amogelang Secondary School, the entire administration block was gutted. The school's principal, Kgomotso Hans, said the department had promised mobile offices by Tuesday.

In Gauteng, 206 schools have been hit by arsonists, 59 of them in Tshwane. The department is still assessing the damage.

"The department is delivering temporary units to schools that have been affected by arson," said Mabona. Some have already been delivered, he said.

Martin Ndou, a parent at the Amogelang school, said he was not comfortable about his two sons going back when schools reopen. "I honestly don't see how physical distancing will be adhered to. It will need a lot of resources."

Mabona said the department was adjusting its budget to attend to new challenges.

"Detailed assessments are still being done. Where the damages are extensive it will take some time to respond to," he said.

In Block FF, things were looking up for Soshanguve Secondary School. Mobile units were being erected this week to replace the gutted administration block. The principal, Sidney Sibiya, said he was pleased with the department's effort to try to get things back to normal before schools reopened.

But a member of the school's governing body, Jafta Baloyi, said valuable information had been destroyed in the fire.

Baloyi said he was comfortable sending his grade 12 daughter back to school.

"I have faith in the government's plan and it can only work if we all work together to make it work."

Phuthanang Primary School was also attacked by arsonists, but a member of the school's governing body, Peter Tshabalala, said the strongroom containing computers and important documents had not been damaged.

"It's painful to see how our school was destroyed by selfish people," he said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Cpt Mavela Masondo said 123 people had been arrested in Gauteng in connection with burglaries at schools. He said some of the items recovered included stationery, furniture, electrical appliances, groceries, sound systems and gardening tools.