The Ward 109 Development Forum have announced plans to push for two more high schools in Macassar. However, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it had no plans to build new schools in the area.
The forum, through its education wing, alleges high schools in the ward are overcrowded and understaffed, which is why the area is in desperate need of more schools.
Chairperson Sipho Delani also bemoaned the ratio of five primary schools to two high schools.
“Is the WCED saying our children will only finish primary level?” he asked.
After suggesting pushing for the WCED to reinstate contract teachers at schools in Macassar, the forum went so far as to visit the WCED district office in Kuils River to demand that contracts be allocated. It is now shifting its focus back to the WCED to demand new high schools.
Acting principal at Zandvliet High School, Lester Hendricks, has confirmed that prior to the appointment of contract teachers at the school, he had four classes without an educator.
“It left learners just roaming aimlessly around the corridors,” he said.
Even though the problem of contract teachers has been solved, Hendricks feels that it has only treated the symptom but not the root cause.
Currently, he has been serving as acting principal for more than a year. His two deputies have also been acting in their positions – one of them filling his vice-principal role – along with four heads of department (HODs) who are also acting.
According to Hendricks, this is causing a bottleneck as the WCED considers the school to have too many post-Level 1 teachers (entry-level teachers) due to the six acting positions at the school.
This compounds the fact that the school is overcrowded, with one Grade 9 class having a ratio of 50 learners to one teacher, while the other classes have 45 learners to one teacher.
The WCED’s infrastructure plans to develop new schools does not include Macassar, especially after False Bay Primary School has been successfully established.
“All infrastructure projects that the WCED would undertake would be budget permitting and based on the most pressing needs in areas within the province,” said Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the WCED.
The department’s district office denied that the two high schools in Macassar were overcrowded, adding that primary schools tend to have smaller numbers than the high schools, which is the norm throughout the province.
The WCED also denied that the forum’s protest action resulted in the contract positions being renewed.
Hammond responded to Hendricks’ “bottleneck” claims by stating that the school’s senior management team’s instability caused challenges, especially if they were all new in their positions.
“There were outstanding documents that had to be submitted to head office. Once the submission is finalised it will go to the Head of Department for approval,” she said.
The forum will continue their campaign to address all of the issues they believe are stifling the growth of Ward 109, with high schools in Macassar being their primary target.
“People have taken advantage of our area and we’ve been quiet for far too long,” said Delani. “Now it’s our time to stand up and fight to ensure the right things happen.”
