Passin g through a Grahamstown township school is like reliving a daytime horror movie. All one can hear are sounds of birds and the wind blowing through the yard. At least, this is what it's like at Khutliso Daniels Secondary School in Joza at present.
Passin g through a Grahamstown township school is like reliving a daytime horror movie. All one can hear are sounds of birds and the wind blowing through the yard. At least, this is what it's like at Khutliso Daniels Secondary School in Joza at present.
Some classes were locked and some are open but there was no sign of either learners or teachers. The public servants strike is in its third week and at this point, there seems to be no resolution.
Benjamin Mahlasela Secondary School resembled a conquered army base with the gates locked and no one around to answer questions. Archie Mbolekwa stands atop like an abandoned fort.
“The strike has a negative impact on us, seeing that we are in matric because we have so much pressure on us,” said Gift Sandi, a Grade 12 learner at Nombulelo Secondary School. His tone is that of a desperate person and he is not the only one.
Sandi and six other matrics spend their days in a classroom at the school going through all their work. This time there were only four of them, with two other Grade 11 pupils.
“The teachers don't come at all,” added Sizwe January. Two other learners were not in attendance, but that does not deter the others from carrying on in the hope that the strike will end soon. They are at least relieved that the trial exams have been postponed.
“I'm a maths tutor for now, but for the future, I don't know, but I enjoy it very much,” says Thando Mpolweni, who matriculated at TEM Mrwetyana last year.
He tutors six TEM Mrwetyana matric learners. The learners seem to enjoy the quiet that they have now, as normal class times are noisy and disruptive, but say they are feeling the pressure.
“We would like the strike to end so we can fully focus on the upcoming final exams,” adds Busisiwe Kamana, who is also part of the class.
Besides the maths, they also work on economics, physics, life science and accounting, but maths is the main reason that they are there.
The group had started these classes in the afternoons before the strike, then continued during the strike.
“We can feel the absence of teachers, especially in the other subjects, but Thando is doing a great job,” added Kamana.
“The strike is wasting our time as we are supposed to be writing trial exams,” said Akhona Nkwenti, which highlights the pressure that they are under, but Mpolweni is proud of the group, whom he interacts with very well.
“They are willing to try and they don't mind being corrected,” added Mpolweni, but said some learners are too dependent on the teachers for help, so learners might fail.
With each passing day, hopes of passing get snuffed out, but for some few dedicated learners, the struggle continues.
