The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised significant concerns after a recent oversight visit to Erasmus Monareng Secondary School in Ekurhuleni, highlighting the dire state of the school’s infrastructure. Originally built as a primary school, the institution is now being used as a high school, leading to considerable strain on its resources. According to the DA, the school has faced numerous challenges, including a shortage of classrooms, furniture, and ongoing roof leakages, which have hindered its ability to provide a conducive learning environment.
Despite submitting a request for additional classrooms and furniture to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) in February of last year, the school has yet to receive a response or any support. During the visit, DA members observed that learners were forced to carry their chairs between classrooms due to the lack of furniture. The shortage of resources has placed immense pressure on both staff and students, but in spite of these setbacks, the school has managed to achieve a commendable increase in its pass rate, rising from 75% to 79.6%.
The DA’s concerns go beyond the lack of basic infrastructure. Safety remains a top priority, with the school’s roof leakages posing further risks to the students. With the student population continuing to grow, the DA believes it is essential for the GDE to address these pressing issues before the situation deteriorates further.
In a statement, the DA has called on the Gauteng Department of Education to make schools like Erasmus Monareng Secondary a priority and to allocate the necessary resources to improve the school’s facilities. “It’s essential that we invest in our children’s future by providing them with the resources they need to succeed,” said a DA representative during the visit.
The party has committed to taking the issue to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, demanding immediate action from the GDE. “The learners of Erasmus Monareng Secondary School deserve better. They should not have to face such conditions to receive an education,” the DA’s statement reads.
The DA’s intervention underscores the growing concerns over the state of many schools in the province, where infrastructure and resource allocation often fall short of meeting the demands of an expanding student population. By raising awareness of these challenges, the DA hopes to pressure the GDE into prioritising these schools, ensuring that learners have the tools and environment they need to succeed.
