Hundreds of Eastern Cape learners from four Gqeberha schools could miss out on taking part in the Western Cape Schools Marching Drill competition this coming Saturday.
Organisors said on Monday that they received the sudden news that the funding for their trip from the Department of Education Eastern Cape had been declined.
Zee Agerdien of the organisation, Go Big Community Development, which founded the Projects Schools Marching Drill Inspiration Progamme, said the children were due to depart on Wednesday.
He said the Programme aims "to instill respect and discipline amongst school-going youth, through police and army drilling exercises, which improves the focus and discipline in the children".
Agerdien said they had partnered with the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape and local law enforcement under the safer schools program to accomplish this goal.
He said the program has grown in support and participation from schools and communities, whilst having a positive impact on the behavior of children.
Every year schools from across the city and province would compete in the Eastern Cape Schools Marching Drill Competition at the Gelvandale Stadium, where the top two schools in both senior and junior divisions would qualify to compete in the Western Cape Schools Marching Drill Competition.
"This year Alpha Primary and Charles Duna Primary qualified in the junior division, with Ndzondelelo High and Soqhayisa High qualifying in the senior division. These four schools would then represent the Eastern Cape at this National Competition in Cape Town," Agerdien said.
The organisation will hold a briefing on Tuesday to make an urgent appeal for funds in a last-ditch effort to get the children to Cape Town in time for the weekend activities.
Mali Mtima, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Education Department said the department has undergone a process of reprioritization, and issues of this nature have been under budgeted to ensure that teaching and learning are not compromised.
"We were therefore unable to fund this trip.
"The reprioritization meant that we cannot compromise the core business of the department, which is teaching and learning," he said.
