GANAALAGTE, North West — Parents and community members of Logaga Primary School in Ganalaagte, North West are raising urgent alarms over the institution’s deteriorating infrastructure, warning that the crumbling facilities pose a severe safety risk to learners. Despite previous promises of intervention, the community is now demanding the construction of a completely new school building, firmly rejecting proposed superficial renovations for the aging structure.
Originally built through community contributions in the early 1980s—with some community members noting its origins as a high school dating back to 1976—the school has allegedly never undergone significant renovation. Today, it serves more than 500 learners from Grade R to Grade 7. The provincial Department of Education previously introduced 12 mobile classrooms as an interim measure, but parents report these structures are severely overcrowded, leak heavily during the rainy season, and remain fundamentally unconducive to teaching and learning.
Frustration has reached a boiling point, with some parents issuing a stark “no school, no vote” ultimatum. Community members emphasize that they have lodged numerous grievances with the education authorities, including a recent meeting in July, yet remain without clear answers or a sustainable way forward. The primary concern remains the immediate physical danger to children, with reports of falling ceilings and deteriorating roofs inside the aging structures.
The community is now directing its hopes toward the current North West MEC of Education, Dr. Desbo Mohono, following a recent provincial reshuffle. Parents note that the former MEC, Viola Motsumi, who now serves as the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, did not resolve the issue during her tenure. Stakeholders are urgently calling on Dr. Mohono to take decisive action to guarantee learner safety and provide a conducive learning environment.
In response to the growing outcry, Dr. I. Alas Malindi, Director of Communication for the North West Department of Education, stated that the matter is receiving high-level attention. The department has acknowledged the community’s concerns regarding the age of the infrastructure and indicated that a contractor has been appointed to commence work on the site by the beginning of October.
Department officials emphasized that they are actively engaging with the community to ensure that any new infrastructure project meets the learners’ needs. “It is not ideal for us to start building a school without sports grounds, and we have met with the community,” a department representative noted, adding that future approvals will strictly require proper community communication and that contractors will be on-site to ensure project implementation begins as scheduled.
Until then, parents maintain that a mere renovation of a 40-year-old facility is insufficient, holding firm to their demand for a brand-new, safe, and fully equipped primary school.
