School laboratories turn poisonous

Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Friday March 21, 2014 15:09

 

Classes were suspended at Sedibelo Junior Secondary School in Mochudi yesterday after students and employees reacted to emissions from expired chemicals in the school laboratory.

Since Tuesday, students have been ferried from the school to a local clinic for medical attention after they started developing an irritating sensation on the skin.

This has led to some burnt patches on the skin as a result of too much scratching.

This is according to a teacher who preferred anonymity.

It was immediately suspected that they were reacting to chemicals that are usually used for experiments in science laboratories. The chemicals have expired, but officials at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) have allegedly ignored teachers’ reports.

Yesterday, all students were gathered at one place while some teachers found refuge at the staff room, with classes suspended for the day.

The incident reportedly started on Tuesday and has continued without any intervention from the MoESD leadership.

Some teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed disappointment with the regional education office that has only responded by sending officers, and not experts.

The regional director has not visited the school himself, which has also angered the teachers.

“The first group of observers came on Tuesday followed by a chief education officer on Wednesday.

 Today the physical education officer is here and we do not understand what for? Why so many observations with absolutely no action to save our lives?” charged one teacher.

Another teacher added that they have been asking the school management to temporarily close the school while they solve the problem, as it is not known what could happen due to continued exposure to the gases or emissions from the expired chemicals.

He was worried that they are inhaling the dangerous gases while the leadership is taking its time to act.

“It does not help to treat students and expose them to the gases all over again.

What are they trying to achieve? Who knows how dangerous the gases are when inhaled? The molecules are in the air and we are obviously inhaling the gases. Some effects may not crop out now but later,” he continued.

Another teacher revealed tests were scheduled for Wednesday (two days ago)  but were delayed since some students were in hospital.

One of the science laboratories has been closed since January this year, as teachers did not know what to do with the expired chemicals. The school has since been operating with one lab.

It is reported that science teachers had been asked to clean it and remove the expired chemicals, which could have led to the recent reaction of the chemicals.

“We suspect that the emissions resulted from the way the chemicals were handled because even the teachers have been saying that they do not know what to do with the chemicals,” said the teacher.

Still in Kgatleng, it is reported that expired chemicals resulted in recent explosions at other schools, Linchwe and Madikwe community junior secondary schools.

Sedibelo Junior Secondary School Head, Phometsi Phometsi declined to discuss the matter, saying he has to inform the regional director who is the only one with power to share information with the media and the public.

The regional director could not be contacted for comment as he was said to be in a meeting out of office. 

The Public Relations Officer at the ministry, Silas Sehularo, said that they had not received any report and therefore could not immediately comment.