LETTER TO THE EDITOR: With schools set to reopen on Wednesday, concerned parents in the Northern Cape are raising urgent questions about the apparent lack of funding for schools in the Province. A parent from Delportshoop shares their concerns in the following letter:
Dear Sir,
As parents, we learned yesterday [Monday] that we will have to buy our children’s schoolbooks ourselves. No schools have received funding.
Schools start on Wednesday, which means that hundreds of learners will not have books.
The school year will kick off with many children already at a disadvantage in their school work.
Poor children receiving Sassa grants already struggle to afford even basic stationery, school book covers, and school uniforms. Where are those parents supposed to find money for books?
If schools have not received funding, it also means that feeding schemes and school hostels will not be able to buy food to feed the children.
We need help to get answers from the provincial Department of Education about why only Northern Cape schools have not received any funding.
As a parent, I see this as completely wrong. I can afford the extras, but so many others cannot.
We live in a small town, and everything here is much more expensive than in places like Kimberley.
Our children need help and someone to speak on their behalf.
Thank you,
A concerned Delportshoop parent
* This letter was originally written in Afrikaans and has been translated into English. The original Afrikaans version is included below.
** The DFA has reached out to the Northern Cape Department of Education for comment and will update readers as more information becomes available. If you are experiencing similar challenges, share your thoughts with us at [email protected]
…
THE ORIGINAL AFRIKAANS LETTER
Ons as ouers het gister gehoor dat ons skoolboeke vir ons kinders moet koop. Geen skool het bevondsing ontvang nie.
Die skole begin Woensdag wat beteken 100de leerlinge gaan nie boeke hê nie. Die jaar gaan afskop met n agterstand op skoolwerk.
Die arme kinders wat Sassa kry se geld is al klaar te min selfs net vir skryfbehoeftes, oortrek papier en skool klere. Waar kry daardie ouers geld vir boeke?
As skole nie bevondsing gekry het nie beteken dit dat voedingskemas en koshuise ook nie gaan kan kos aankoop om die kinders te voed nie.
Help asseblief as iemand kan, sodat die departement kan antwoorde gee oor hoekom slegs die Noorkaapse skole geen bevondsing gekry het nie.
Ek as n ouer sien die dinge as heel verkeerd. Ek kan die ekstras koop maar soveel ander kan nie.
Ons bly in n klein dorpie en alles hier is baie duurder as in plekke soos Kimberley.
Ons kinders kort hulp en iemand om namens hul te praat.
Met dank
