By Johnathan Paoli
Following days of community protests, crime and vandalism in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has urged residents to express their grievances without harming the academic progress of their children.
Communities, mainly upset about service delivery, have disrupted schooling in the uMgungundlovu, uThukela, King Cetshwayo and Pinetown districts, with key access roads to schools such as Cebolesizwe Combined School and Eyethu Primary School in Greytown and Emgangeni Secondary School in Kwagwala completely blocked.
Hlomuka and other senior officials were on the ground on Monday to speak to communities.
“The continued disruption of education due to protests poses a significant challenge to our pupils’ future. We appeal to community members to seek peaceful resolutions that do not compromise teaching and learning. Our children’s education must be protected at all costs,” Hlomuka said.
The MEC commended the residents of KwaMashu Section D, Ward 40 for their efforts in combating school vandalism.
They apprehended an individual caught stealing copper pipes from a local school and turned him over to authorities.
“The protection of our schools is a shared responsibility. We commend this community for refusing to harbour criminals and for ensuring that stolen goods have no place in their neighbourhoods,” said Hlomuka.
This decisive action had prevented further damage to schools, ensuring that critical resources such as electricity and computers remained available for learners.
Hlomuka said the department was continuing to work closely with communities and law enforcement agencies to keep schools safe and conducive to learning.
He said the challenges facing KZN’s education sector, ranging from community protests to budgetary constraints, highlighted the urgent need for collaborative solutions.
While the department worked on restoring stability in affected districts, Hlomuka said education must be prioritised and communities must seek lawful ways to address grievances.
He called on stakeholders to unite to protect the future of KZN learners as schools strive for improvement.
According to department regulations, all secondary schools should achieve a minimum of 70% overall performance, with the 2025 target raised to 95%.
The MEC and his team held a meeting with various schools at James Nxumalo Agricultural School to address those that obtained pass rate below 50%.
Department HOD Nkosinathi Ngcobo emphasised the department’s commitment to supporting affected schools.
The meeting aimed to develop intervention strategies to improve academic performance and mitigate the effects of disruptions.
Principals presented their schools’ status reports and outlined challenges requiring intervention. Ngcobo committed to ensuring continued department support, with tailored strategies to enhance learning outcomes.
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