LOUIS TRICHARDT - A one-sided approach and lack of positive action by the Provincial Department of Education is compounding the space problem at schools in Louis Trichardt. The Department is still continuing with its one-sided boycott of a farsighted offer by the local Municipal Council to assist it materially in the erection of much needed additional school facilities in the town.

A standing offer of assistance to the value of well on a million rand for the erection of an additional secondary school in Louis Trichardt remains unheeded by the Department. The urgent need to provide for additional school facilities in Louis Trichardt had already been brought under the attention of the Department some four years ago.

A stampede of pupils from rural schools for English medium tuition in town caused an ugly confrontation two years ago, when the local mayor tried to force the only English medium public school in town to accommodate newcomers, regardless of the availability of classrooms and teaching staff. This week saw a repetition of the crises at the Eltivillas Public School.

In his inaugural speech more than two years ago the mayor publicly stressed the dire need for additional school space.

"Most of our children are not at school because our schools are overcrowded," he said.

He then publicly reminded the Department of Education of the standing policy of Council to make a percentage of part of it's annual budget available to the Provincial Government, to assist in the provision of additional school space in the town of Louis Trichardt. At the time he announced that R650 000 was already made available by the municipality to contribute towards the erection of a new school. The Municipality also offered a spacious serviced stand for this purpose to the authorities.

The mayor's repeated appeal went unheeded.

This week the acting Municipal Manager, Mr Vic Viljoen, on enquiry said he was not aware of any response from the provincial authorities to the repeated magnanimous offer by the local municipality to enter into a partnership with the provincial authorities to help provide in this time of urgent need.

Almost four years ago the local Council foresaw the need to provide an additional secondary school in town. A special committee, with representatives of the provincial government, was then formed to look into possible solutions. The committee reached consensus that a new secondary school was necessary. It also identified the most suitable site for such a school. The municipality consequently offered to donate and service the selected site free of charge.

Shortly afterwards the provincial representatives one-sidedly withdrew from the committee and nothing came of the proposed new school. The problem was thus left to escalate. According to municipal sources no reason was ever given for this surprisingly negative action by provincial representatives.

The only secondary classes offered in Tshikota, where the new secondary school was to have been erected, are conducted in overcrowded classrooms of the Masedi Public School, where the primary and secondary schools share the same building.

The official spokesperson for the provincial department, Mr Freddy Greaver, was not available to clarify the matter this week.