While the majority of schools in the Chris Hani district area re-opened after a more than two month recess, some experienced glitches on the first day which varied from infrastructural to delayed PPE delivery by the education department.
The Rep reporters contacted some schools in Chris Hani to learn about how they managed on the first day of school, with the common denominator and headache for principals related to ablution facilities.
Kwa Komani Comprehensive School pupils were reportedly sent home this week after principal Sizwe Mrubata cited water and sanitation problems as concerns raised by the school governing body (SGB).
Speaking to The Rep on Tuesday, deputy principal Cozoma Tyhalimpi said plumbers had visited the institution to assess toilets which were non-functional. Tyhalimpi said the school had received personal protective equipment for staff members and pupils, but there were other issues which were areas of concern.
“Health officials should have been appointed to assist and train teachers about thermometers. We are not sure if the devices are providing accurate information because they read different temperatures for an individual. We have reported this matter to the district office. There is also an issue of shortage of textbooks, especially with language subjects. The government had promised to deliver learning and teaching support material, but we have not received anything. We have also done a follow-up on laptops which teachers were supposed to receive. We are hoping to allow scholars back to the institution on Thursday on condition that toilets are fixed,” said Tyhalimpi.
Louis Rex Primary School principal Bevin Christoffels also confirmed that none of the pupils had returned this week as the school was still repairing toilets which were also a challenge. “We decided not to allow pupils back on Monday because some toilets had leakages and some were not functioning properly. We have closed one toilet which needs a total overhaul and have identified a classroom which we will convert to a staff toilet. It will take some time for it to be fully functional. We have received a water tank from Chris Hani municipality that will be installed next week. We are also expecting a health worker at our premises this week to take us through health precautions,” said Christoffels.
Nokwanda Primary School principal Funeka Rozani said while they opened their doors on Monday, they did not expect any pupils because they only received personal protective equipment (PPE) for pupils last weekend.
“We had already prepared the school a week earlier by deep-cleaning classrooms and offices to ensure the safety of our 101 grade 7 pupils. It is not easy for pupils to keep up with the new rules and way of life because they are children, but we commend them for trying. Yesterday we planned to do things like sanitising them when they enter and their seating arrangements. We spent the day on Tuesday orientating and teaching them about the dangers of Covid-19, the importance of regularly washing and sanitising hands.”
Rozani said their major issue as an Ezibeleni school – an area which is inundated with water provision issues – was the toilets. She said flushing would be a problem. However, they had received an additional water tank full of water.
Cacadu-based Ngangomhlaba Junior Secondary School principal Vusumzi Fatuse said as much as the school had pit toilets which posed a hazard, especially during Covid-19 times, operations went smoothly on the first day.
“Of our 35 grade 7 pupils only about 24 came to school, which is a normal bad habit for pupils in the rural school, but we expect to have all of them back by the end of this week. Support staff provided by the education department helped us with ensuring good hygiene standards in the toilets. We spent the first day orientating pupils because we know while they were home they did not practise the required rules. It was difficult because they needed to be monitored at all times. Once a teacher left the classroom for whatever reason, pupils would gather in a group, ignoring the physical distancing rule.”
Jongimishini Public Primary School principal Viwe Nosakhele Dinga said 40% of grade 7 pupils had returned for the re-opening, indicating that parents were afraid to send their children to school. “With the school being old, our pupils are taught under poor conditions, but we have tried ways to ensure that scholars are protected. We have bought shields and are working cooperatively to make sure that children are safe. We have an issue with water and have only one tank which caters for 173 pupils. Earlier this year we received a generous donation of ablution facilities from Liquid Gold and Old Mutual. Our worry is that it will become a problem when other the grades return,” said Dinga.
Nkwanca High School acting principal Nkosinathi Mbutuma said operations ran smoothly on the first day as they had prepared well in advance, with the assistance of the school governing body (SGB).
“We worked together to ensure our general staff had PPE because they were not provided for by the department. Even some non-teaching staff members did not receive any and the school organised for them. We organised our own deep cleaning and fumigation of the entire building and a sanitising booth which has already been installed, but is not operational yet.”
Mbutuma neglected to mention the school’s dysfunctional ablution blocks. A teacher at the school who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that buckets were used to flush the dysfunctional toilets which was unhygienic.
Bulelani High School Principal Zine May said 90% of the 202 grade 12 pupils were calm upon their return and were ready to learn. “This displayed a good attitude and told us these children are keen to learn. PPE has arrived and ablution facilities have been fixed. I am thankful for the support of the SGB, parents and community. We thank parents for sending their children to school and for buying scarves, masks and hats for scholars. We ask that they continue observing the Covid-19 rules,” she said.
