Parents in the Soutpansberg North circuit, Vhembe West, are up in arms over a decision to merge Kharivha Primary School with another institution more than six kilometres away, warning that learners could pay the price in safety, energy and academic performance. Their concerns are heightened by ongoing disruptions in scholar transport, which have already left learners walking long distances through risky terrain and protesting on local roads.
More than 50 parents have signed petitions demanding that the Limpopo Department of Education halt the move. They say children will be pushed into overcrowded classrooms at schools already battling poor results, while transport in the area is unreliable.
The department has identified Kharivha Primary for merging because of low enrolment, but families argue the numbers do not tell the full story.
School Governing Body (SGB) secretary Ms Sarah Zethu Mncwango said the school is central to the community and that its closure will have far-reaching effects. “Kharivha Primary School plays a vital role in the community, providing quality education to our children. We understand that enrolment numbers are a factor, but closing the school would displace learners, impacting their educational well-being.”
In their petition, parents say more than 100 pupils will be displaced and forced to travel further under risky conditions. They have asked the Department of Education to reconsider the closure and explore alternatives to support the school. The alternative schools, they say, are already struggling with classroom shortages.
Meanwhile, anger over transport has spilled into the streets, disrupting learning. Learners from Tshianane Secondary School say they are denied access to buses because they fall within a five-kilometre radius, leaving them to walk through bush. One bus broke down last week and the rest were taken to the circuit offices. Pupils say they were promised replacements on Monday, but by Wednesday no buses had arrived. This prompted learners, unhappy about the lack of transport, to barricade the Musekwa Rural Access Road (D3671) with rocks, trees and branches on Wednesday morning.
“The buses are at the circuit, so we are travelling to school on foot. We get here tired, and we start slumbering during class. We cannot even concentrate. I don't like to strike because I am in matric and I am being left behind,” said a Grade 12 learner from Ha-Makushu.
In response, Limpopo education spokesperson Mike Maringa said those unhappy with the decision should use official channels. He said governing bodies must write to the accounting officer, the head of the department.