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By Johnathan Paoli
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has pledged to deliver a new school for the Nigel community within 18 months, following weeks of turmoil over unsafe learning conditions at Alra Park Primary School.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with the School Governing Body (SGB), staff, departmental officials, and the Infrastructure Crisis Committee, Chiloane stressed that learners have already missed more than three weeks of schooling following the shutdown of the 85-year-old school in protest over crumbling infrastructure.
“Ultimately, what we want is to get our children back to class. It’s not good that they’ve been at home for so many weeks. They are losing a very important aspect of teaching and learning. The district will work closely with the school on a recovery plan,” he said.
He acknowledged that the school’s condition had justifiably alarmed parents, describing it as “not fit for today’s schooling” and promising that the community’s demand for a new facility would be honoured.
Chiloane said his department would implement a catch-up plan to help learners recover lost time, which may include weekend and after-school classes. He outlined a phased-in reopening strategy, starting with Grade 7 learners preparing to transition to high school.
“They’ve already lost a lot of time. We want to start with them so that they don’t suffer next year,” he said.
As immediate relief, the department will install additional mobile classrooms and prepare interim learning spaces while plans for the new school are finalised. Chiloane emphasised that renovating old and unsafe buildings would cost more than building anew, stressing that the new school is intended not only for current learners but for generations to come.
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has slammed Chiloane and the provincial government for what it called a sluggish and negligent response to the crisis.
In a statement, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education Sergio Isa Dos Santos accused Chiloane of abandoning learners for weeks despite the school being declared unsafe in 2023.
“The MEC’s failure to act swiftly reveals the Premier Panyaza Lesufi-led administration’s disregard for learners’ rights. Not only is it arrogant, but it is also unresponsive to the plight of our learners,” Dos Santos said.
He noted that despite asbestos structures and mobile classrooms plagued by electrical faults, the department inexplicably installed air conditioners in hazardous buildings in 2024 rather than addressing urgent safety concerns. Both learners and staff have reportedly been injured by collapsing infrastructure.
“A DA-led Gauteng Department of Education would never abandon learners in this manner. We would prioritise safe and dignified learning spaces by eradicating asbestos schools, accelerating upgrades, and ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety standards,” Dos Santos added.
The crisis at Alra Park Primary reached a boiling point in mid-August when parents, citing health and safety risks, forcibly closed the school and barred learners and staff from entering.
Frustrated by broken promises, parents and community members launched protests, blockading roads and clashing with police. Officers fired rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, heightening tensions.
The chairperson of the community crisis committee, Farid Mohammed, said residents had been demanding a new school for years.
The GDE previously attempted to address safety concerns by installing mobile classrooms in 2023 after engineers declared parts of the school unsafe. But parents argue that too few units were provided, forcing continued use of condemned buildings.
The department initially resisted calls for a new school, citing budget constraints and engineers’ recommendations that refurbishments could extend the life of existing structures. However, mounting community pressure and sustained protests have now forced a shift in approach.
Chiloane told parents that his commitment to a new school is final, emphasising that the immediate priority is getting learners back into classrooms safely while construction plans are set in motion.
INSIDE EDUCATION