Hon Priscilla Williams conducted oversight visits at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School and Ditsobotla Primary School

Today, 16 January 2025, the Chairperson of the North West Legislature Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Hon Priscilla Williams conducted oversight visits at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School and Ditsobotla Primary School as part of assessing the state of readiness for the 2025 school year.

Amongst some of the challenges found at Onkgopotse Tiro School, were long standing issues that were not resolved by the Department of Education for the past three (3) years. The Chairperson noted that the kitchen and school hall were still built in asbestos, which poses health threats to learners and workers at the school. The department had promised and allocated a budget to renovate the kitchen, hall and hostels in the past 3 years, but nothing has been done to date.

The Chairperson was not pleased to find that minimal preparations were made for Grade R learners at Onkgopotse Tiro School who were returned home, as they were not allocated a Grade R tutor. Both schools do not have amongst others, suitable furniture meant to cater the Grade R learners, who are using adult chairs, with no tables allocated for them. Grade R learners at Ditsobotla Primary School were found sleeping on tables and on the floors of classrooms without small beds or mattresses suitable for small children.

Hon Williams was also concerned that Ditsobotla Primary school houses 91 Grade R learners who are full in two (2) classrooms. As per the regulation at schools, one class is supposed to accommodate 25 Grade R learners and not more, but classes are already over populated due to not having enough classrooms at the school. “It is also worrying to witness learners using toilets meant for adults instead of minors, all these conditions negatively affects the performance of learners at the school,” said Hon Williams.

Overall the Chairperson appreciated that learners were present and registered, that classes started on time with relevant teaching material, also having a National Schools Nutrition Programme in place and committed to engage with the MEC for the Department of Education on other outstanding challenges to find ways to best resolve them.