Crash delays five pupils

 The five, aged between eight and 12, were being taken to school on the back of a bakkie when its brakes apparently failed on Edendale Road, causing it to collide with a sedan, ER24 spokeswoman  Luyanda Majija said.  

 

"The children were treated for minor injuries and transported to Medi-Clinic Pietermaritzburg and other hospitals for further care."  The drivers of the vehicles were not injured.

 

Meanwhile, at St Wendelin's Primary School in Mariannhill teachers were organising pupils into their correct classes.  A number of parents were lined up outside the principal's office  with their children. Principal VN Ntombela said the first day of school was runningsmoothly.

 

 "Everything went well."  She said many parents of children attending school for the first  time would wait at the school until the end of the school day at noon.  "They just want to see where their children will be."  A worker was putting the final touches of paint to a swing and a  see-saw the Grade R's will be enjoying.

 

KwaZulu-Natal culture MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha visited  schools in the Ilembe District on Wednesday to assess levels of readiness on the first school day.  

 

She visited Shakaskraal Secondary School, which obtained a matric pass rate of over 80 percent for 2013, her spokesman Mluleki  Mntungwa said in a statement.   "The MEC was upbeat that the learning material arrived on time at the school and learning began on the first day."

 

The school still faced problems of pupils arriving late, as it mainly served disadvantaged communities and many pupils had to travel long distances to get to the school.  "The MEC has assured the school that all the challenges thathave been raised will be addressed because already the department of education has a scholar transport programme in place."

   

 

-Sapa