The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently conducted a readiness over-sight visit to Erasmus Monareng Secondary School in Ekurhuleni and expressed deep concern over the state of the school's infrastructure.
According to DA, the school was originally constructed as a primary school but is now being utilised as a high school leading to significant infrastructure strain. In February last year, the school applied for additional classrooms and furniture. However, they have not received a response from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).
During the site visit, the DA highlighted several pressing issues affecting the school’s functionality. These included a severe shortage of furniture, persistent roof leakages, and an insufficient number of classrooms to accommodate the growing student population.
In a statement, the party added that due to the shortage of furniture, children carry their chairs from class to class and despite these challenges, the school has achieved a notable increase in pass rate, from 75% to 79.6%. However concerns around safety, infrastructure, and resource allocation must be addressed.
The party has urged the GDE to prioritise the needs of schools similar to this one and provide the necessary resources to ensure a conducive learning environment.
The DA has also said that it will be escalating the issue of the School's infrastructural challenges to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
“As a matter of urgency, the DA will be taking this matter up in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, demanding answers on how it is that this school has seemingly been left behind. The learners of Erasmus Monareng Secondary School deserve better.” The statement reads.
The Star