Soweto school ‘let down’ by Gauteng Education Department

Johannesburg - It is often said that education is the key to success, and in a country where unemployment among the youth is at its all-time high of 59.6%, getting an education gives one a fighting chance in South Africa’s unstable economy.

And while the statement holds for many who hunger for education, the pupils at Job Rathebe Junior Secondary School in Orlando East feel abandoned by the education system. So much so that a group of disgruntled students interrupted classes last year, on the first day that schools reopened for the third school term.

The School Governing Body (SGB) and parents shut down the school affecting teaching and learning citing their dissatisfaction with the “appalling conditions” of the institution. The SGB Treasurer, Myron Shongwe said it is within their mandate as the school’s SGB to make sure that the school runs sufficiently for the learners of Orlando East.

However, they feel let down by the Gauteng Department of Basic Education.

“The infrastructure of the school is in terrible condition. And our school toilets have collapsed. The Gauteng Department of Basic Education did in fact visit the school last year and promised that things such as the leaking roof would be fixed. A figure of R1.9 million was allocated to fix the roof, building and toilets of the school. To our shock, nothing was done by the time December 2022 came around. To this day, the roof is still leaking and nothing has been fixed. Someone must account,” said Shongwe.

Further issues raised by the SGB include a lack of leadership at the school management level, governance, infrastructure, and security as some of the pertaining issues that led to the school shutdown. The school is currently headed by an acting principal after the previous principal was removed from office.

The situation at Job Rathebe is so critical that according to neighbours, break-ins have become a daily occurrence due to a lack of security.

“The school is falling apart, making it vulnerable to break-ins and vandalism. The school is dear to us here in Orlando East. I’ve lived here all my life and the school has been in this state for years. The SGB has been in communication with the Department but I don’t think the assistance has been impactful or there at all,” said Ntombikayise Khuzwayo, a resident in the area, living near the school.

Shongwe added that they as members of the SGB have been targeted for being vocal about the issues affecting the school community.

“We are dealing with the gangsters in the education department; they are out to loot schools. As vocal members of the SGB, we are being targeted by these rings of gangsters in suits; they don't follow Sasa books which guide us on governance matters. In one of the schools, they have removed vocal parents from the SGB. We really need assistance, our law enforcement needs to come on board, and the SIU team needs to come to investigate what is happening at Job Rathebe,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Sunday Independent sent questions to the Gauteng Department of Education, which did not respond at the time of going to print.