Teaching and learning at Greenville Primary School was dealt a devastating blow this week after thieves broke into the school and stole close to 30 chalkboards.
The chalkboards are the Bethelsdorp school’s primary means of educating pupils, and teachers will now have to scramble to find alternative means for learning to continue.
The school does not have money to replenish the photocopier with ink cartridges, neither does it have a single sheet of paper.
It cannot use projectors as there is no electricity in the classrooms.
Principal Frederick Joseph said they were deeply saddened that people in their own community would rob them of such a crucial resource.
It is believed the thefts took place during the course of the long weekend.
According to Joseph, the theft of the chalkboards worsened their woes, as the school was already plagued with problems due to its ageing and crumbling infrastructure.
“This is sabotage and it is really, really bad,” he said.
“The people responsible for the theft steal our property and then sell it for scrap not thinking of the serious repercussions it holds for our teachers and pupils.”
While Joseph and a parent were going through the classrooms to assess the damage on Tuesday, it was determined that the chalkboards in 13 classrooms had been stolen.
Each classroom had two chalkboards.
Joseph said the theft emphasised the need to get the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) up and running.
The QLTC is aimed at mobilising stakeholders within the community to take ownership and responsibility for the attainment of quality learning and teaching.
“The aim of the QLTC is to get tavern owners, churches, business owners and the broader community to safeguard the school and its children,” Joseph said.
“In a scenario like this, through the works of the QLTC, the ideal would be for the scrap metal owners to turn these thugs away when they approach them to buy chalkboards, knowing that they must have been stolen from a school.
“Similarly, a tavern owner is privy to a lot of information because people gather at taverns and start talking when drinks are flowing.
“Often thieves also attempt to sell stolen goods at taverns.”
While teachers were left to devise a means to continue teaching, residents have vowed that they will not rest until the culprits have been arrested and brought to book.
Melinda Jantjies, whose grandson is a pupil at the school, claimed the culprits were known to the residents.
“We have already gathered quite a bit of information which we will hand over to the police,” she said.
Resident Gaby Machune said circumstances at the school were already dire.
“If we are to catch anyone with stolen items that belong to the school in their possession we are going to deal with them because numerous cases were opened in the past without anyone being convicted.
“There is no justice. People can just break down Greenville as they wish.
“We are despondent and frustrated,” he said.
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