Provincial government steps in to resolve issues at troubled Nongoma school

THE KZN Provincial Government has vowed to beef up security around the troubled Denge High School in Nongoma with a number of interventions, including negotiating for the deployment of crack police units to stabilise the area.

It is also envisaged that the communities surrounding the school will set up community crime fighting structures and work closely with the police and Department of Education to set up a school safety committee.

The government has committed itself to moving swiftly to deal with the problem of overcrowding at the school by bringing in five prefabricated classrooms by this week.

Architects will also investigate how to improve the school’s infrastructure.

These are the promises made last week by the MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Willies Mchunu and the Department of Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni during a visit to the school to address the school’s administration, parents and pupils.

Anarchy

Last year, Denge High School was nearly plunged into anarchy after three male pupils were knocked over by a car on the R618 while on their way home.

One pupil died, while the other two sustained injuries.

Later, one of the injured committed suicide.

The incident triggered anger and community blocked the road and demanded speed humps which were then constructed.

The pupils and the community then marched to the school and attacked the principal, accusing him of being a satanist.

During the rampage, school windows were broken while a teacher and two cars were pelted with stones.

A teacher was also killed during one of the attacks at the school.

Community support needed

In his address, Mchunu said there was normally a huge correlation between the condition of the school and the surrounding community.

‘If the school is situated in a dysfunctional community that is ravaged by crime and the abuse of alcohol and drugs, the school is likely to be impacted negatively.

‘To deal with the challenges of this school, we will be leading initiatives to set up local crime fighting structures.

‘Equally, we will be working with the Department of Education and the police to set up school safety structures,’ said Mchunu.

He urged the local community to work with the police to stabilise the area and bring order to the school.

MEC Nkonyeni said her department would immediately attend to the issue of overcrowding and the general improvement of the school’s infrastructure.

She asked that the school’s management draw up a list of other issues and officials would meet to plot the way forward.

She praised the teachers who had produced good results, despite working under very difficult conditions.

‘We are convinced that had the school not been destabilised by destructive elements, it would have produced a better pass percentage,’ Nkonyeni said.