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The DA has noted with concern that 13 899 learners across Limpopo province did not secure school placement and are currently unsure about their schooling for 2018 due to lack of space, which emphasizes a lack of planning by the Department of Education.

The DA has further noted that the displacement of learners could potentially increase towards the end of this week as many prospective learners will be returning from the holiday period, which may lead to further overcrowding on the first day of the academic year.

We can confirm that Polokwane has the highest number of stranded learners with 6 996, followed by Musina with 3 028, Ba-Phalaborwa with 1 747 and Tubatse with 1 016.

The DA has identified that a root cause of overcrowding in certain schools is largely as a result of a concern over the lack of quality education and opportunities within recreational activities, such as sports and culture, which forces learners to attend schools outside of their residential area.

The DA urges the department to actively pursue establishing more schools in urban areas, as the demands of urbanisation and a growing economy requires more schools to be built.

The DA is deeply concerned that overcrowding, especially in quintile 1, 2 & 3 schools across the province, may affect the quality of education offered and hamper future educational outcomes.

The ever-widening gap between no fee schools & fee paying schools needs to be addressed to ensure that all students receive the best possible education on an equal standard.

The DA urges parents of affected learners to consider alternative schools in the event that they are displaced.

The DA has submitted written questions to MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe to provide a comprehensive report regarding the overall enrolment and schools capacity, while also providing plans to resolve the matter.

The DA believes education is a basic right, to which each learner deserves schooling from the first day of school without any prevention. It is the responsibility of the Department of Education to safeguard the process of education and to actively rectify the issue of learners that are not yet placed.

The people of Limpopo deserve a new beginning, with a caring government who will ensure that plans are in place for every child to be able to attend school.

Issued by DA