The 27 Western Cape schools facing possible closure will know their fate today.
|||Cape Town -
The 27 Western Cape schools facing possible closure will know their fate today.
Each will be visited by a representative from the Western Cape Education Department with a letter that will inform them whether or not they will have to close.
The reasons for the possible closures include dwindling pupil numbers, multigrade teaching, high drop-out rates and unsuitable schooling facilities.
The issue has caused much debate, and marches and pickets against the possible closures have been held over the past few months.
Most are small rural schools while seven are in the greater Cape Town area.
On Monday MEC Donald Grant said the representations received had included some very powerful arguments for and against the closure of particular schools.
“I have carefully considered these arguments and have allowed them to shape my final decisions where they support the best interests of the learners.”
He said the issue of pupil safety, for example, had been raised in some cases. “This is an issue which this government takes seriously and which has ultimately influenced my decision with regard to the closure of particular schools.”
The Western Cape Education Department had developed a placement plan for each school, Grant said.
This included the placement of pupils, teachers and support staff at alternative schools, providing pupil transport where required, providing new school uniforms and making provision for school fees where pupils would move from a no-fee school to a fee-paying school.
These would be finalised in consultation with the schools concerned.
“Each decision to close a school has been carefully considered and I believe that, together with the placement plans developed by the department, the outcome of the entire school closure process will benefit each learner from the affected schools.”
He said he was also pleased with the department’s proposals to assist schools that would not face closure.
“I am fully aware that in some cases communities may be upset with my decision to close their school given the historical and cultural significance that these schools have in their respective communities.
“I am mindful of this but am equally mindful of what is in the best interests of the learners concerned.”
Grant said school closures were a common occurrence “yearly” throughout the country and internationally.
“They are part of any provincial department’s education strategy when re-evaluating and assessing the size, shape and needs of their education system.
“Many educationists would agree that closing a school is sometimes a necessary step to improving an education system.”
Save Our Schools campaign organiser Magnus de Jongh said Save Our Schools wanted all 27 schools to remain open.
“We will continue to fight after tomorrow [today]. We believe that Grant will not close all of the schools. For the rest we will go to court.”
ilse.fredericks@inl.co.za
Cape Argus