EMALAHLENI – eMalahleni parents are once again grappling with school placement challenges for their children as the academic year begins.
The dilemma is evident in the long queues at the local circuit office, while delayed responses from the Department of Education have left scores of learners and parents frustrated.
According to local activist Banele Nkosi, this is a recurring issue caused by a shortage of schools and the influx of people into eMalahleni.
“We’ve been assisting parents with placements since 2018. The problem is that some parents register their children but don’t get a response until the end of the year,” he explained.
“By January, they’re forced to go to the circuit office for help. While some parents wait until the last minute, we understand that relocation and other challenges play a role.”
Stakeholders have stepped in to address the problem.
Crane and plant hire company Pegasus has committed to providing container classrooms for Carrisa Primary School to accommodate more learners.
A representative of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at Ezinambeni was also on the ground assisting parents. “We are here to help parents, learners, and the Department of Education facilitate a smooth placement process. Our goal is to ensure every child is placed to keep them off the streets,” he said.
Despite these efforts, many parents have been left stranded, waking up as early as 4 a.m. to queue at the circuit office from January 13 to 17, only to be sent home without assistance.
The Department of Education was unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.
For now, parents remain hopeful that their children will be placed soon, with community members and organisations stepping in to bridge the gap left by the department.
