Cape Town - Beaming parents and guardians lingered a little too long as they silently stood leaning against school fences, proudly taking in as much of their children’s first day of school as possible.
On Wednesday, the much-anticipated first day of school began for 1.2 million pupils in the Western Cape, including 92 000 Grade 1 and more than 96 000 Grade 8 pupils.
Langa father Mzikhona Mgedle said he had been cycling with his daughter to school for more than two years and was excited to now restart the journey as his daughter enters Grade 1 at the Thembani School in Langa.
“I was so emotional seeing her dressed in a formal uniform after dressing her. She’s like ‘Jonga tata, ndimhle’, meaning ‘look at me daddy, I am beautiful’. I shed a tear while putting her bicycle helmet on her head, thinking of all the days we pushed and pedalled together to school, and she’s also pushing good passing marks and distinctions in her grades.”
At Starling Primary School in Mountview, special visitors Premier Alan Winde, Education MEC David Maynier, and Western Cape Education Department (WCED) head of department Brent Walters joined for the first assembly, interacting with parents and visiting classrooms.
Langa resident Kediemetse Modise said: “I feel so happy because they’re supposed to learn a lot of things. We can’t leave the children at home. They’re happy to come to school. They’ve been waiting for this day.”
Acting principal Renjeni Chetty said: “We are very excited about this year. We have lots prepared for our children. It’s just with load shedding, it’s a bit of a schlep but we always have plans A, B and C. And our teachers are very innovative. We always share best practices.”
Chetty said most pupils were not present and were expected on February 1, as parents did not want to pay the extra taxi fare for the week-and-a-half.
The school provides breakfast and lunch daily, ensuring teaching does not take place on empty stomachs.
Thanks to WCED security, the staff returned to find that there had been no break-ins during the holiday period, a common occurrence in the past, according to Chetty. The neighbourhood watch had also become involved to protect the space.
Of a more recent break-in, Chetty said: “These entire four blocks of toilets were vandalised. There wasn’t a single thing left because they came to take the copper pipes and then they broke into the classrooms via the ceilings, and then they stole the teachers’ aides and equipment, even reams of paper.”
Funding for the school, as in the case of many, has been a great issue.
“Most of our learners are indigent and since Covid-19 it’s worse so school fees are coming in very badly, very poorly.”
School fees are set at R2 500, an amount that has not changed for the past five years.
Two members of the Crystal High School Governing Body and Hanover Park Community Policing Forum (CPF) visited the school upon hearing of the departmental delegation.
CPF public relations officer Kashiefa Mohammed said she was visited by four parents for the morning, stating that they are still struggling to find placement for their children, and have asked for easier methods to apply for schooling.
“What about the 70-year-old who doesn’t have a phone and can’t register the child online. So we’re sitting with a crisis in Hanover Park where children can’t go to school, and mostly foster children because that granny is the guardian of that child.”
One of the parents was the mother of Jehaan Petersen, whose lifeless body was found in a field close to Crystal High School in September. The mother had reportedly applied in July last year for placement for her two children.
Mohammed said Hanover Park schools were incredibly overburdened.
“At this moment, we are sitting with eight Grade 8 classes at Crystal High School, 40 children in one class. That is our biggest concern today.”
Various schools in Khayelitsha had everything under control as teachers slid into the day’s programme, issuing books and locating classes.
Despite all the efforts of last year, late placement remained an issue with parents randomly showing up looking for space.
A principal anonymously said: “Everything thus far is going smoothly. The only problem we have is the request for space, despite the efforts we made regarding parents who still find online applications complicated.
“Unlike other areas, our school is surrounded by five primary schools. What I did last year was to print enough letters for all the Grade 7 learners in those schools, entailing necessary information regarding online application.
“Not only did I do that but as a school we offered our computer lab to them, all they had to do was to show up with necessary copies so they can be assisted,” the principal said.
At Chuma Primary School in Khayelitsha, chaos erupted just before the bell rang as parents gathered outside the gate following up on a memorandum they sent on Monday, with their grievances regarding the safety of their children.
“We are here following an agreement we had with the principal. He promised to call us within two days and he failed to do so,” said Yongama Bhambata.
“Our kids are not safe at this school, there’s no proper security at the gate, the hygiene of this school is very disturbing, the food they (are) feeding them is not up to standard and that needs to stop,”
Responding to parents, principal Mncedi Hlela asked to be given more time.
“I acknowledge you coming here on Monday and handing over the memorandum. As I said, your timing doesn’t work in my favour due to the meetings I had and still have to attend.
“I ask that you give me more time so that I can sit with the school’s governing body and discuss a way forward,” he said.
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za and siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za