2026 Legislature School Readiness Oversight Programme

Hon. Karabo Magagane together with Hon. Wolfgang Wallhorn, Ward Councillors, Mr. Buti Monamodi and Mr. Dingaan Seakantwa conducted oversights visits at Mokgola Primary; Mmajane High and Nietverdiend Combined Schools in Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality as part of the Legislature school’s readiness programme in the province. The programme is aimed at assessing various schools’ preparations for the 2026 teaching and learning year and any challenges experienced from Tuesday, 13 January to Friday, 16 January 2026.

Amongst other issues discovered during the assessment of the schools’ readiness for the new teaching and learning year including infrastructure challenges and decays, water scarcity and social challenges that threaten the dignity and safety of learners.

Key Findings from oversight visits at the three schools are the following;

Mokgola Primary School

Water and Nutrition Crisis: The school is currently operating under unsustainable conditions due to a severe water shortage. By sharing a low-depth communal borehole with a local clinic, the school has been forced to purchase water from private providers a practice that contravenes government procurement policies. Furthermore, the socio-economic distress of the community means many learners rely entirely on the National Nutrition Program. Current portions are inadequate, and the school lacks a proper kitchen facility.

Mmajane High School

A Safety and Social Emergency: the infrastructure at Mmajane High School is in a state of collapse and there is repeated storm damage that has caused ceilings to fall, and aged window panes have already resulted in injuries to learners. Beyond the physical risks, the school faces a social crisis with six learners currently pregnant and two potential cases of statutory rape under investigation.

Nietverdiend Combined School

Despite achieving a 100% pass rate for three consecutive years, the farm school built 70 years ago is struggling with aging facilities, and there is an urgent need for it to be moved from Quintile 2 to 1 due to reflect the socio-economic reality of its learners. Immediate interventions are required for pest management and the expansion of overstretched ablution facilities.

“What we have witnessed today at the farm school is a tale of two realities: educators and learners who are determined to succeed, and an environment that is actively working against them. At Mokgola Primary, it is unacceptable that a school must choose between breaking procurement rules or going thirsty, and at Mmajane High, the fact that a learner has already been injured by decaying infrastructure should be an impetus for change and urgent intervention.”

“We are also deeply concerned by the social vulnerabilities at Mmajane. While we support the collaboration between parents and Social Development to keep pregnant learners in school, we will not tolerate criminal acts. Statutory rape is a grave offense, and we will ensure the law takes its course,” said Hon. Magagane.

She said the legislature celebrates the excellence of Nietverdiend Combined School as their 100% pass rate is a miracle given their 70-year infrastructure and pest issues. They deserve the resources of a Quintile 1 school to match their academic output.

Hon. Magagane said the legislature will be escalating the findings to the Department of Education, Public Works and Roads and other provincial departments.

“We immediately request the emergency infrastructure repairs at Mmajane High to ensure learner safety, permanent water solutions for Mokgola Primary and Mmajane Secondary School to end the reliance on private water vendors, and Nietverdiend Combined School Classification as Quintile 1 needs to be used to unlock necessary funding,” said Hon. Magagane.