A visit to the mountainous rural Tshipako Primary School is a true reflection that the majority of poor rural learners have not attained educational freedom even after 12 years of democracy. They are still attending classes in makeshift, mud buildings on the verge of collapsing.

Built in the 1950’s, the school had 350 learners and 11 teachers, starting from Grade R to 7. Last week, Mirror carried a shocking report about the teachers who sank into the ground with a zink toilet at the same school. Although there are four proper, but leaking, classrooms, the worst nightmare is for Grades 3, 4 and 5. The three mud classes were built by the community in the early seventies.

The duplicated classes have no doors, doorframes or windows. The falling roofs, which have stones and pieces of wood on top, are leaking. The floor has holes and some pieces of wood in the roof have been destroyed by termites (mutshenzhe). The classrooms are falling apart, posing serious danger to the lives of the teachers and learners. When it rains, the learners are forced to join learners in other classes because it is impossible to teach them.

Despite all odds, the school took position one in the beautification competition last year. A Grade 5 teacher at the school, Mr John Nethenzheni, said the conditions at the school make it very difficult for education to proceed smoothly.

“We are even afraid to teach the kids inside those mud classrooms because they can fall at any time. We risk our lives every day to sacrifice for the future of our children. The mud classes have holes everywhere and if strong winds come, we can lose our lives or sustain serious injuries…”

Nethenzheni said they always find snakes and scorpions seeking refuge in the duplicated classes.

“We kill snakes time and again and this poses a danger to ourselves and the learners. It is better to teach the children in the open space than teaching them in this high-risk situation…”

The school principal, Mr Billy Mudau, said he has been battling with the Department of Education to acquire new classrooms for his school, but it has never been easy. “We were twice removed from the waiting list for schools that need classes without explanation. We were told last year that we are once again on the waiting list but we are not sure if we will ever get the classes. Something must be done before we lose our lives in this risky situation. It has never been easy at this school, but there is nothing we can do because the education of our children is the priority…”

The Department of Education’s Acting District Manager in Vhembe, Dr Ndwakhulu Rathando, said the Department is aware of the situation at Tshipako Primary School. He said four decent classrooms would soon be built at the school and they would also be accompanied by four toilets.

“We have a full report about the situation at the school. Tshipako is one of the schools on our priority list for schools that urgently need classes. Our team of experts went to the school to assess the situation last year. They will surely get the classes because it is our priority to make sure that education is going smoothly without stumbling blocks…”