Parents fill gap at rundown school

Parents and teachers at West End Primary School in Port Elizabeth rolled up their sleeves yesterday to start fixing up the dilapidated school.

The parents decided to do the work themselves after receiving building supplies from two companies in the area.

They appealed to businesses to assist them when they found the R17000 they received from the Education Department to fix the school was not enough.

More than 800 pupils did not write their June exams because angry parents and school governing body members locked the gates to force the department to listen to their grievances.

They labelled the school a ticking time-bomb because it was in a state of total disrepair and could have led to fatalities without urgent attention.

Governing body member Chantelle Pick said that after eight years of pleading with the department, they were now going to do things for themselves.

“After reading about our plight, Oxygon and TAZ Contractors sponsored us with all the supplies to fix the entire school. Groups of parents volunteered to start doing the work.”

The parents have identified fixing the toilets and railings as a priority.

They will tile the toilet floors and repair broken taps, among other things, while rusted railings will be replaced with palisades.

Other work includes painting the classrooms and outside walls.

Jeremy Prinsloo and Tasliem Hendricks, who donated the supplies, said they were doing their bit to plough something back into the community.

“We are very excited about what is happening because we are taking back ownership of our school,” Pick added.

“It is important that our kids receive good education in a safe environment.”

(This story is courtesy of The Herald. Used with permission.)