Pupils still taught under trees!

AN alleged dispute between two principals has led pupils to suffer.

According to the DA in Limpopo, a dispute between the principals of Laerskool Laersdrift and Sango Combined School outside Groblersdal, Limpopo, causes a big headache for about 90 pupils.

Laersdrift has pupils from grade R to nine, while Sango has pupils from grade R up to matric. Sango is severely constrained by a lack of infrastructure and must cope with up to 90 pupils per class in the junior phase, while senior pupils have their classes under trees without desks.

Lindy Wilson, DA’s constituency head for Elias Motsoaledi Municipality claimed the Limpopo Education Department gave a directive that grades 8 to 12 pupils be moved to Laersdrift's facilities and grades R to 7 pupils be moved to Sango's facilities to relieve pressure on both schools and accommodate pupils in formal classrooms with no overcrowding.

Pupils of Laerskool Laersdrift experience overcrowding in one of their classrooms.

“However, the principal at Laersdrift has seemingly refused to comply with the directive from the department, leaving pupils to suffer the consequences,” she said.

Wilson said they have written to Limpopo Education MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya to ask for an urgent intervention.

"We're also asking for disciplinary action to be taken against the principal of Laersdrift. We won't sit by while our children suffer the consequences of political games,” she said.

Education spokesman, Matome Taueatsoala said they are aware of the situation at both schools. He said the principal at Laersdrift is not refusing or rejecting the realignment, neither the directive from the department.

ALSO READ | Shock as businessmen die one by one!

Taueatsoala said an application for the realignment of the two schools has been approved.

“The school governing body at Laersdrift raised concerns about the realignment and escalated the matter to the National Association of School Governing Bodies.”

Taueatsoala said the association took the matter to the high court to challenge the department's decision and the outcome of the court is that the approval by the accounting officer be set aside.

“The department will dispatch a team to conduct more investigatiosn and provide necessary support,” he said.