File picture: Chris Collingridge
HIGH school pupils from Schmidtsdrift have been unable to attend classes since the start of the new school year on January 15 due to a shortage of transport.
A concerned parent, Elijah Sewedi, expressed frustration over the transport issues affecting Grade 9 and 10 pupils from Schmidtsdrift who attend Bongani High School in Douglas. He feared they would struggle to catch up on lost learning time.
He said that some pupils had squeezed into the bus out of desperation, as there was not enough space for everyone.
“Every morning pupils get dressed in their school uniforms and wait at the pick-up point, only to be left behind,” said Sewedi. “The new school year started three weeks ago and our children are still sitting at home.”
Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe confirmed that the number of pupils requiring transport to Bongani High School had increased.
“This is due to late registrations and at this stage, 25 pupils are affected,” said Van der Merwe.
He further noted that some parents had not returned the necessary registration forms for learner transport.
“Before learner transport is provided on a specific route, parents must complete the registration form,” he said.
Van der Merwe assured that the department was working to resolve the issue and provide the necessary support to both the school and parents.
“However, parents must fulfil their primary responsibility to ensure they apply on time to secure a school space for their child and complete the registration form for learner transport. This will enable the department to provide this service.
“We have directed the district office to develop a curriculum recovery plan and implement it immediately upon the arrival of the affected learners,” he said.