SA Van Wyk High School pupil parents who are frustrated about the lack of educators at the institution marched to Namakwa District Department of Education in Springbok to hand over a memorandum with their grievances on Friday, 17 November 2023.
Parents came in numbers chanting and holding plack cards “Die Dept Weier Hierdie 123 leerders Toegans Tot SA Van Wyk” – “My Graad 8 Kind Is Nie Weer n Slag Offer Van De Department Se Koste”.
Residents came together from different Namakwa communities expressed their disappointment against the local government regarding the lack of language and mathematics teachers. They said Grade 8 learners are the most negatively affected following that these are essential subjects.
According to the SGB, the thirty thousand rand they received from the NCDoE on Monday, 13 Nov, will assist 22 matric learners with their immediate needs, while writing their end-of-the-year National Senior Certificate Examinations.
The SA Van Wyk School Governing Body members speaking at Radio NFM said the matter is nothing new. They have submitted the request for teachers but their plea landed on deaf ears.
Vanessa Van Wyk said, “Our children are negatively impacted due to the shortage of teachers and this deprives them of receiving quality education”.
Eswell Laban added, “The school needs an interim teacher but we request the department to recruit permanent English, Afrikaans, and Mathematics subject teachers”.
Richie Cloete, a Namakwa Civil Movement member said two teachers’ contracts will be terminated at the end of the 2023 academic year. “it is ridiculous that the next year 2024 pupils will be short of two educators. The Department needs to find a solution, and permanent one”. Adding that drastic change is considered necessary as the Department of Education must effectively address the crisis.
They appeal for assistance from relevant stakeholders so that learners of the school can get a better education to achieve their dreams.
According to 2023/24 Budget Vote 4 MEC Zolile Monakali speech, in 2022, the Department received 289 applications from schools for more educators, and after conducting necessary due diligence with the district authority, 252 posts were ultimately allocated.
“To make sure that all schools have a teacher in front of classes, the Department made an additional 37 postings available to accommodate ad-hoc requests,” said Monakali.
The provincial department is yet to comment.
