The Department of Education in Limpopo will need more than R40million to repair and rebuild schools damaged by heavy rains.

More than 400 schools in Limpopo, especially in the Vhembe and Mopani areas, have been reported damaged by heavy rains and storms which fell from last year November till now, said a spokesperson for the department, Mr Pat Kgomo.

Kgomo said in some schools´roofs had been blew away and the department was worried that some classes would be disturbed if it rained. “We are currently distributing mobile classes as a temporary measure to the affected schools. We are greatly concerned about the situation because it affects teaching and learning negatively,” Kgomo said.

He said the department would also assess whether some affected schools needed to be fixed or rebuilt. “We will start rebuilding schools in the beginning of this year’s financial year, probably in April. We appeal to some of the school principals whose schools were damaged but are not included in our list to report to the department,” added Kgomo.