Cape Town - The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) says it has managed to resolve the situation where 96 Grade 3 children were being taught in the media centre at a Delft School, while more parents have come forward with claims of overcrowding and a shortage of furniture.
The Cape Argus on Tuesday revealed that 96 Grade 3 learners were being accommodated in the media room at Sunray Primary School, where there was one teacher assigned to them.
Education MEC David Maynier’s spokesperson, Kerry Mauchline, confirmed the circuit manager had been sent to the school to resolve the matter, while WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, said the matter was no longer an issue of concern.
“Sunray Primary School: The matter with the timetable was resolved.
”The learners are in their classrooms and the appointed teacher arrived (yesterday).”
A parent also took to social media with claims that her daughter, who is in Grade 8 Rocklands High School, had to share her chair with another learner while there was more than 50 children in a class.
“I am very concerned about the amount of children in my daughter’s classroom,” the parent wrote.
“She has 50 children in a class.
“I was told that there is another class with 57 in a class.
“My daughter is in Grade 8 and has been sharing a chair with another student.
“The shocking part is when I heard the history class had a combined class of 100.
“It will probably be split but the children were all cramped up.
“It’s sad to see the state of our schools in Mitchell’s Plain.
“This school was one of the top four schools in the area.
“What is even more upsetting to me is that two very good coloured teachers were dismissed last year, but were replaced.”
Hammond said the allegations were untrue at the high school.
“Rocklands High School: The school has confirmed there are no Grade 8 classes exceeding 50 learners,” she explained.
“The school also has ample furniture in which to draw from should there be additional requirements and needs.
“No teacher has reported school management shortages in their classroom.
“The school has a vacancy in terms of their establishment that is still in the process of being filled.
“This is as a result of retirement last year. The school did have two teachers in excess.”
Meanwhile, Brett Herron, GOOD Party Secretary-General, said they condemned the overcrowding of the class in Delft, as 2 407 teachers are cut in the province.
“Even if this set-up is labelled as ‘temporary’, it is nothing short of a travesty,” he said.
“This is nearly three times the teacher-to-student ratio released by the WCED of 1 teacher to 36 students.
“It isn’t just impractical, it is profoundly damaging to academic pursuits.
“According to educational experts there is an undeniable correlation between class size and academic achievement.
“The negative effects of oversized classrooms ripple through every aspect of education.
“With desks, chairs, and textbooks in limited supply, students are left without basic tools for learning.”