Matric pupils in Vuwani begin catch-up programme
Matric pupils from protest-troubled Vuwani in Limpopo will begin much needed catch-up programmes after missing almost nine weeks of schooling due to ongoing unrest over municipal boundary demarcations.
The programmes come about after parents and community leaders agreed to a teacher union’s call to release hundreds of matriculants who missed the mid-year examination to allow them to attend study camps.
The pupils were admitted to former colleges of education on Sunday, and were due to start lessons on Monday.
Chief Mmbangiseni Masia of the Masia community said the community agreed to release children, especially matric pupils, to participate in the education department’s catch-up programme.
"This is about rescuing the Grade 12 pupils, we don’t have other chances, it has nothing to do with our demands not to fall under a new municipality," said Masia.
Late on Sunday evening, pupils were being allocated accommodation at three defunct colleges of Education in the province.
Two weeks ago, South African Democratic Teachers Union provincial chairman Ronny Morwatsehla persuaded parents to release children to attend special classes.
Morwatsehla told parents that though they had a genuine concerns, they needed to ensure matric pupils were in camps as time was against them.
Provincial education spokesperson Naledzani Rasila said 1,985 matric pupils were taken to Makhado, Tivumbeni and Seshego Mastec for the catch-up programme.
"We believe that the catch-up programme will work, our systems are ready to catch up where we lost," said Rasila.
Rasila said educators from affected schools had been also sent to colleges to join their pupils who have been out of schooling since the protests erupted earlier this year.
They launched the protest after the Municipal Demarcation Board announced that their area would fall under a new municipality.
The boundary dispute left more than 23 schools completely gutted or badly damaged.
However, all pupils from the lower grades have chosen to remain at home until the dispute between government and the affected communities is resolved.
Residents accuse government of not consulting them when deciding to incorporate their area into the new municipality.