DA calls on MEC Lesufi to close illegal school

28 October 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on the Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi to close all illegal schools across the province.

This follows a video that went viral on social media of an illegal school operating in Cosmo City.

The video shows the JMPD conducting an inspection at the school and interviewing a 20-year-old teacher. According to the teacher captured in the video, the name of the school is Perfect Space Academy. The school teaches learners from grades 1 to 9; grades one, two and three are taught together in one class, those in grades four, five and six are taught in one class and grades eight and nine learners are also taught together in one classroom.

The building in which learners are taught is old and dilapidated and they also use a tent as a classroom. The environment is not conducive for learning and teaching.

The video can be seen here.

The DA has also learned that there are many schools that are operating illegally particularly in the townships targeting foreign national children who do not have proper documentation to stay and study in the country.

In most cases, these illegal schools hire unqualified teachers.

It is high time that the Department conducts regular inspections of all schools across the province to ascertain whether they are registered and to ensure that they abide by the standards and norms of the Department.

We also urge parents to verify with the Department whether a school is registered before sending their children to that institution. If the school is not registered this means that any qualification attained from that school will not be recognised.

The DA will table questions to MEC Lesufi in the Gauteng Legislature to also ascertain whether the department has any measures in place to identify and eradicate illegal schools in the province.

Issued by Khume Ramulifho, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, 28 October 2019