Durban - Merebank businesses have donated learning tools to a preschool class in Bantuvukani Primary School in Lamontville, Durban.
The businesses, through their Merewest Community Foundation, handed over toys, blankets and other kids learning tools to the school on Thursday.
The school, which falls under the quintile 3 category (schools that are classified as the poorest), had seen a huge influx of toddlers, mainly from poor informal settlements in the township.
This was because the Department of Education through its early childhood development programme placed all crèches under its banner, removing them from the Department of Social Development this year.
The donation was facilitated by DA councillor Sithembiso Ngema, who said the principal had approached him for help and told him his school had started accepting kids from crèches in the area.
“After visiting the school I realised it was irrational for the government to take crèches from private hands. Such decisions result in enormous pressure on the administrative staff, like this particular school principal who now sits with a problem without anyone to cry to,” said Ngema.
The principal, Mbuso Sosibo, said he had no choice but to accept the children at his school.
Adding that had he failed to do so, it would have been misconduct on his part, as by law no school should deprive a child of an opportunity to education.
Sosibo said his school was not ready for a preschool class since there was no budget. He said there were no resources, including teachers.
“Since kids were already here I could not do anything, but tried to get them a teacher. I had to use the money we are getting from a cellphone tower that was installed on our premises to pay the teacher. We are collecting R8 000 from the cellphone company to pay the teacher and buy some equipment for the kids. As a no-fee school, we depend on the department’s funding, but as of now, we are still waiting for it. We were supposed to have received it last month, but we have not received a cent,” said Sosibo.
He said that earlier this year a teacher from the Bluff who was appointed to teach a preschool class, left when she realised that the school had no equipment.
Sosibo said a normal preschool class should have a first-aid kit box, toys, a carpet for kids to sit on, learning charts, radio and TV sets for the children to watch programmes such as Takalane Sesame, but the school had none of these.
Foundation chairperson Premila Deonath said they were deeply touched by the children’s situation when Ngema explained it to them, and decided to help.
She said the foundation asked for donations of blankets for the kids since the winter season had begun, and said the blankets were donated by Gate Ministries Church.
Daily News