THABA NCHU – Repairs at the storm-ravaged Boitumelong Special School in Thaba Nchu seems far from getting off the ground, more than three months since the devastation was caused. The Free State Department of Education initially indicated that a contractor would be appointed after quantifying the costs of damage incurred.
However, there is no sign of any work in progress to repair damaged classrooms at the school, which remains only partly accessible to the teaching and administration staff. The department indicated that the impact of the storm was far-reaching and has since appealed for public assistance to restore the damaged infrastructure and to mitigate further damage due to inclement weather.
The severe storm left eight classrooms roofless and resulted in the immediate suspension of learning and teaching at the school. The education department suspended classes as a safety measure and to allow reorganisation of the situation at the school.
The department then ordered the 384 learners with severe intellectual disabilities, including 44 with autistic conditions, to return to their respective homes.
The department’s decision was part of precautionary safety measures while officials were in the process of assessing and quantifying damage, as well as exploring alternative means to revamp all affected classrooms.
Repeated efforts by BloemExpress to get a response from the department regarding the appointment of a contractor, including repair costs and learning programmes, were futile. During a recent visit to the school, there were, however, signs of progress and a contractor on the premises.
■ Meanwhile, work involving the refurbishment of the Bloemfontein-based Matlafalang Primary School, which was damaged by a thunderstorm in 2024, has been prolonged. The original damage occurred when severe storms hit the Mangaung region, affecting several schools that were either established or still under construction at the time.
While the Department of Education initially sent teams to assess the damage incurred in the region, the affected section of Matlafalang has remained in a dilapidated state, without any successful restoration. The storm of 2024 had shattered some windows and damaged parts of the classrooms, making a section of the school unsafe.
