Drommedaris Primary School learners missing out on much-needed learning time

Dear Editor

Drommedaris Primary School learners in Ekurhuleni continue to miss out on much-needed quality learning time due to the rotational learning system.

In July last year, the school experienced a terrible arson incident where 14 classrooms were burnt down. To date, these classrooms have not been refurbished, forcing the school to continue with the rotational learning system.

There is severe overcrowding due to the shortage of classrooms. The school has a capacity of 1765 learners and needs an additional teacher for grade one. In addition, some of the ablution facilities are not functioning.

The DA is highly concerned that this school is among many schools across the province that are continuing with a rotational learning system despite an announcement made by the government last year that all learners must attend school on a full-time basis.

The rotational learning system is disadvantaging the learners as they are not attending school every day and losing much-needed learning time, resulting in them falling behind with the curriculum while other schools are progressing.

The DA will write to the Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, to demand additional mobile classrooms to ensure that learners attend school every day and put an end to the rotational learning system.

We will also table questions to the MEC in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to ascertain when the department will refurbish the burnt-down classrooms and provide additional mobile classrooms to ease overcrowding.

It is the department’s responsibility to ensure that learning and teaching are conducted in a conducive environment.

The DA will continue to hold the department to account to ensure that all schools across the province have all the necessary much-needed learning resources.

Regards

Khume Ramulifho MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education