A group of parents from Freedom Park Informal Settlement in Ottery has accused the Western Cape Education Department of overlooking them and their kids because they are poor.
Chantel Hendricks, 45, who fosters her niece, says the child should be in Grade 4 already but they are still searching for a school, while the 12-year-old cries everyday to be at school.
She explains that her niece moved from the Northern Cape to Cape Town last year after her mother abandoned her.
Chantel says: “I immediately went to the schools in the area to apply for a transfer, and it seemed like if they hear you are from the plakkerskamp, they have this attitude.
“I then learnt that it is not only me experiencing the ‘ons sal jou laat weet’ excuse. There are around 16 children here who are still waiting to be placed for various reasons and [to] different grades.”
“We have walked from school to school, and to the district department, without answers.
“They are disappointing us, and we feel as if our children’s right to education is not being taken seriously.”
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says there were no applications for admission for 2024 on their system for the list of learners they received.
She says the list has now been provided to the district and contact will be made soon.
Hammond explains: “We can confirm receipt of the application forms of two learners that need an assessment. Attempts to contact the guardians of the learners previously for assessment were not successful.
“On initial investigation, and using the names and ages provided to us, one of the learners was placed after applying extremely late.
“Four of the learners could not be found at all on our system as having previously registered in the system or as having made requests for placement at our district office.
“Six learners were in our system previously but had deregistered from their previous school.”