All the children who have been studying under the trees in Forest Village, Eerste River, have now been placed in proper schools, the Western Cape Education Department confirmed yesterday.
The informal school named Empumelelweni primary and high consisted of five classes and had 480 learners enrolled.
It was situated under the shade of trees on Old Faure Road, but had no furniture, and the children had to bring their own crates and buckets to use as desks and chairs.
The school sprang up after parents refused to enrol them at schools outside the area, insisting the WCED build a new school and enrol teachers of their choice.
“I am pleased to report that we have found school places for all the learners that have gathered under the trees in Forest Village,” said MEC Debbie Schäfer in a statement.
“The WCED has been contacting parents over the past week to make offers of placement.
“Half of the learners have already been placed at schools.
“The department is still struggling to contact some of the parents of the remaining learners, who have provided incorrect contact numbers or whose phones go to voicemail.
“We urge the parents of those learners to contact their district to take up the placement offers.”
One happy parent says the school under the trees had its own issues.
“I am happy that my child was placed because there was infighting at the school between the parents and I do not want to dwell much on that.
“It was going to be difficult as winter is coming.”
Meanwhile, Schäfer says they have reduced the number of unplaced learners in the province from 13 800 at the beginning of the year to 4188.