NORTH West provincial legislature chief whip Paul Sebegoe has attributed the worsening of overcrowding at schools around Rustenburg to migration and urbanisation within the mining communities.
He made this observation after being part of the elected public representatives sent across the province to monitor the school reopening readiness programme on the first day of the 2024 academic year.
"Although the provincial basic education department is annually grappling with this phenomenon through revision of the post-provision model to allocate more educators, the high demand for enrolment is making it difficult for schools in the area to cope with the avalanche, which does not seem to abate," said Sebegoe.
"Urgent intervention is required to address overcrowding at Meriti Secondary School, which has currently registered 1 729 learners with extreme pressure at grades 8,9 and 10."
Sebegoe said that they, therefore, escalated the pressing need for six mobile classrooms and an extra furniture to be provided as an interim solution as the school only has the capacity to accommodate 1 200 learners.
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He appealed to mining houses and the business sector, too, as part of their corporate social investments, including social labour plans, to contribute towards infrastructure development and recreational facilities within mining communities and labour-sending areas.
"We are encouraged that some have embraced their responsibility and are partnering with schools, municipalities, and provincial government departments in various community development ventures," said Sebegoe.
North West education spokesman Mphata Molokwane said the overcrowding in Meriti secondary will be addressed by using temporary structures while the department in the province is still looking at an alternative of building extra classes for the school in the upcoming financial year.
"As the department, we are committed to delivering quality education for all of our learners in a conducive learning environment. In the previous year, the school didn't have this kind of large intake it is experiencing currently in the academic year of 2024," said Molokwane.
