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The Western Cape Education Department has announced the closure of at least nine schools in the Eden and Central Karoo Districts where enrolement numbers have dwindled over the years.
This was announced on Tuesday by Education Minister, Donald Grant, who revealed plans to close a total of 20 out of an initial 27 schools in the Western Cape.
He says the detailed plan unveiled by his ministry aims to improve the lives of over 4000 learners.
Grant says 16 of the total number of schools earmarked for closure are in rural districts and four are in urban districts.
Fifteen of the schools or 75% are small farm schools in rural districts, with learner enrolements ranging from seven to 87, with an average of 41.
"Any decision that I have made has been made with restraint, and has been informed and is ultimately guided by what is in the best interests of the learners," Grant said.
"I would like to stress that parents of learners at schools that will close do not have to worry about enrolement for the 2013 school year. The WCED will inform their school of the plans we have in place to accommodate their child/children," he added.
Meanwhile, the ANC in the Western Cape says the fight against the school closures has not ended.
In an emotionally-charged statement, ANC leader Marius Fransman described Grant's decision as "a dark day for education and poor schools of the Western Cape.
"This is typical of the DA's war on poor where that party's uncaring heart is once more exposed as well as the undemocratic and highhanded dealings with poor people. The ANC's suspicion that this was a rubber-stamping exercise has once more been confirmed," he said.
"The fact that through the Save Our Schools (SOS) campaign seven schools escaped the net is each a victory, though bitter sweet. It was not because of Grant's goodwill, but because those reasons for intended closures were found to be wrong and baseless," Fransman added.
He says the ANC in the Western Cape is demanding that all letters of closure issued today be retracted within 24 hours and a new process started.
Fransman said the ANC will "convene an urgent education summit with SOS and other partners together with education experts and parents soon to discuss the provision of education and other needs in the province, since this province does not have a comprehensive education provision plan."
He said MEC Grant "will also be invited to explain his ill-informed decision."
