"Equal education" won't contest school closures in WC

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The Western Cape Education Department has announced the closure of at least 9 schools in the Eden and Central Karoo Districts where enrollment 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 4 000 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 enrolments ranging from 7- 87, with an average of 41.

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.

Describing the learners as victims, Fransman said many of them would be left disillusioned, broken-hearted and emotional as they lose their known environments and could be forced to go to other schools in an unknown area.

The education lobby group Equal Education says it won't be contesting the decision by the Western Cape Education Department to close 20 schools in the province.

Nine of the affected schools are in the Eden and Central Karoo Districts.

Equal Education chairperson, Yoliswa Dwane, says they are satisfied with the decision announced yesterday by Western Cape Education MEC, Donald Grant.

Dwane says a key bone of contention for them was the mooted closure of 2 schools based on under-performance, which is now not going to happen.

"It should not be the case that government whenever they feel like closing down a school based on under performance they should do so freely, they should show the communities that they have done everything in their power to support the school, to support the teachers and to support learners and not punish them by closing down the school" Dwane said.

The Equal Education Law Clinic, which interceded on behalf of Equal Education with respect to the two schools, also welcomed the decision not to close certain schools based on under-performance.

However, spokesperson, Lisa Draga, says they will be monitoring the Western Cape Education Department to ensure that it keeps to the commitments made to those schools that will be closed.

"We are going to be monitoring the situation quite closely to ensure that where the department has made commitments in terms of learner transport and assisting with school fees and fee exemptions that these commitments in fact are realised" Draga said.