THABA NCHU -The Boitumelong Special School in Thaba Nchu, severely damaged by a gale-force storm in November last year, remains closed as it is not ready for the resumption of learning programmes. The 2026 academic year officially begins today in the Free State.
The devastating storm struck the school at midday on 24 November, causing extensive damage to the school’s infrastructure.
Multiple corrugated iron roofs were ripped off buildings, while fences around the sports facilities were also destroyed.
According to the Department of Education, the impact of the storm has been far-reaching.
Departmental spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the damage has resulted in a further delay to the resumption of learning and teaching programmes for the new academic year. He said the department was in the process of making alternative arrangements to accommodate the 384 affected learners and teaching staff.
The provincial Department of Education has not yet quantified the cost of rebuilding the badly damaged sections of the school. Classes were suspended to allow for safety measures,
re-organisation and a full assessment of the damage following the natural disaster.
The incident has affected learners with severe intellectual disabilities, including 44 autistic learners. Eight classrooms were left in ruins after their roofs were blown off. Several autistic learners reportedly experienced severe meltdowns as a result of the traumatic incident.
While no fatalities were reported, one teacher sustained minor injuries when part of a ceiling collapsed inside one of the school buildings.
The department has appealed to the public for assistance to help mitigate further damage while departmental engineers continue to assess the situation and determine the full extent and cost of the damage to the school’s infrastructure.
