The shantytown that is Goodhope SSS

Goodhope Senior Secondary School is the largest public school in the country. Officially opened in 2008, it boasts a student population of 2,000 from different parts of the country. The Barolong pride has however, evolved into a lawless organisation, which is often in the news for bad reasons.

The situation has persisted after the 2011 ‘mother of all’ strikes. Insiders suggest that violent protests, which are continuously erupting at the institution, are too complex for the authorities to handle. There is an unsubstantiated believe that some unhappy teachers are behind the chaos. Other social ills in the school are the use and sale of drugs, alcohol consumption and student intimate relationships that are reflected in poor academic performance year after year.   One of the students, who spoke to Mmegi anonymously, said they are not happy with the way some things are run at the school.  He said their “anger” emanates from the lack of engagement from authorities and that their grievances are never addressed.