Tonota School: Disaster waiting to happen
Pini Bothoko | Monday June 8, 2015 15:32
Civic leaders in the area say the school premises are not conducive to a learning environment, even describing it as a death trap.
During the just ended Tonota sub-district council meeting, councillors of Borolong and Chadibe villages noted that the 24-stream school’s condition posed danger to its student community.
The school has more than 1,000 students – made up of boarders from the villages of Natale, Makobo, Shashemooke villages and day scholars from Borolong and Chadibe.
The councillors narrated the challenges that the students are currently faced with pleading with council to do something about it. Godfrey Legau, Chadibe councillor said a student was once beaten by a snake in the school’s dilapidated toilets.
He said that there are uncovered manholes situated near the toilets, fearing for the student’s lives, whom he described as young and irresponsible.
“Just imagine what could happen if a child accidental falls in those manholes. Please help us our children’s lives are in danger,” said Legau.
He went on to say that the electricity pipes in classrooms and hostels are damaged, with sockets exposed. Legau revealed that there is also an electricity pole leaning towards the girls hostels, raising fears that should there be strong wind, it will fall into the hostel thus endangering the students’s lives.
He also stated that there is water leakage in the hostel pipes, exposing the school community to infectious diseases and possible outbreak of Malaria.
The councillor said that the dormitory doors are damaged, and some had fallen down exposing learners to harsh weather, especially that now in the winter season. The doors, he said, are dangerous in case of accidental falls. The Borolong village councillor Fletcher Mothubana concurred noting that the school needs immediate attention.
He said while waiting for funds for major renovations, the council cantackle minor ones. In response, the education officer, Malebogo Machaeng stated that they were aware of the school’s state of affairs, they visited the school on May 22.
Machaeng said that they are still working on the solutions to the problems promising that very soon it will be attended to.