Parents of learners at Masedi Primary School in Tshikota outside Louis Trichardt have raised concerns about overcrowding and the deteriorating condition of classrooms, saying some of the buildings could collapse at any time.
The school, which has more than 1,000 learners, has only 10 classrooms. Two classroom blocks, comprising four classrooms each, have become severely dilapidated and are no longer considered safe for teaching and learning.
The classroom walls are cracked, floors are riddled with holes and roofs leak during rainy weather. The school’s two mobile classrooms are also in poor condition, exposing learners and educators to safety risks.
One of the parents, Mr Adam Manari, said overgrown bushes on the school premises posed a serious danger to both learners and teachers, as snakes and scorpions had frequently been spotted on the grounds. He added that parents had been pleading with the Department of Education for many years to provide additional classrooms, but their requests had gone unanswered.
School governing body (SGB) chairperson Fridinah Rasesu said the poor state of infrastructure had made it increasingly difficult for effective teaching and learning to take place. She said the provision of additional mobile classrooms could help ease the overcrowding crisis while permanent structures are planned and constructed.
“Government must urgently provide additional classrooms for our children. When you compare our school with others in the province, some have modern facilities, while our learners are forced to learn in unsafe conditions,” she said.
Parents have threatened to shut down the school if urgent intervention is not provided, saying their concerns have been ignored for years.
The head of communications at the Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, Rendani Munyai, acknowledged the infrastructure challenges facing schools across the province.
“There is a backlog in the department, and many schools across Limpopo are experiencing shortages of classrooms. Masedi Primary School is among the schools that have been identified for infrastructure development. However, we cannot yet confirm when the project will commence,” she said.