At Ketlane Primary School in South Africa, Valdezia, Limpopo, Grade 4 learners are forced to squeeze shoulder-to-shoulder in overcrowded classrooms, making teaching and learning extremely difficult. The school, which serves 602 learners, is grappling with severe space constraints and has received little to no response from the provincial education department despite multiple pleas for assistance.
A School Struggling With Overcrowding
Originally built over 100 years ago by Swiss missionaries, Ketlane Primary has only ten classrooms. However, two of these have been converted into a principal’s office and a staff room, further worsening the space crisis. Some Grade 4 learners are crammed into a single classroom, while other grades also suffer from extreme overcrowding, with class sizes reaching 87, 77, and 70 learners.
Teachers, who spoke anonymously, say the overcrowded conditions make it nearly impossible to give students individual attention. “Many learners are left behind because we can’t attend to their specific needs in such a packed classroom,” one teacher explained.
Another educator highlighted the socioeconomic challenges faced by the students, stating that 80% of them come from impoverished backgrounds and require extra support. “There’s barely enough space to walk around and monitor their work,” she said.
Unsafe and Deteriorating Infrastructure
The school’s infrastructure is deteriorating, and some classrooms are too small to accommodate the large number of students. While teachers try to improve ventilation by keeping windows open, it is not enough to counter the poor learning conditions.
Despite receiving a donation of 100 school bags that convert into desks and chairs, courtesy of MiDesk and the Technology Innovation Agency, the school’s underlying issue of overcrowding remains unaddressed.
Calls for Government Intervention Go Unanswered
The school governing board (SGB), led by Chairperson Frida Bilankulu, has repeatedly reached out to the Limpopo Department of Education for help, but their requests have gone unanswered.
“We’ve sent multiple letters requesting the construction of more classrooms, but we haven’t received any response,” Bilankulu said.
When approached for comment, department spokesperson Mike Maringa downplayed the urgency of the issue, stating, “This is just another request, like many others. We are still dealing with disaster schools, so it cannot be a priority at this stage.”
Community Demands Action
Frustrated by the lack of response, parents, teachers, and community members are now calling on the provincial government to step in and address the school’s infrastructure crisis. They argue that without immediate intervention, the future of hundreds of learners remains at risk.
For now, teachers and students at Ketlane Primary School continue to navigate overcrowded, crumbling classrooms, hoping for much-needed government action.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.