A total of 2,319 learners at Reiger Park Secondary School are facing severe overcrowding, with some being taught while standing due to a critical shortage of chairs and tables. This has resulted in an undignified and unacceptable learning environment, laying bare the neglect of the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE). The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane to urgently address the escalating overcrowding and furniture crisis disrupting learners’ education and well-being.
During the DA’s oversight inspection at the school, it became clear that the GDE has effectively deserted this school. Classrooms are averaging between 50 and 60 learners, far beyond what is conducive to meaningful teaching and learning. A significant number of learners are placed in mobile classrooms that have little to no furniture, no electricity and, in many cases, no proper windows. Furthermore, learners must rush to classrooms each morning in a desperate scramble for chairs and desks, effectively competing for the most basic resources required to learn.
See photos here, here, here, here, and here.
This is not an isolated incident. Across Gauteng, overcrowding and infrastructure backlogs are steadily eroding the quality of education.
Classrooms without sufficient furniture, proper lighting, or adequate ventilation are not environments where academic excellence can thrive. Instead, they stand as stark evidence that our education system is in disarray under the Premier Panyaza Lesufi-led government.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would prioritise infrastructure planning based on accurate learner placement data, ensure the timely procurement of furniture, and ring-fence maintenance budgets so that schools are not left to fend for themselves. We would enforce accountability for delivery failures and ensure that mobile classrooms meet minimum standards for safety, electricity, and basic amenities.
This can be achieved through a DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government committed to adequately preparing our learners for further education or work.