The Eastern Cape Department of Education’s Cluster A schools’ functionality in two districts under the OR Tambo District was severely affected by the taxi impasses yesterday, as such, learners were unable to write their midyear examinations.
This was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Department of Education, Mali Mtima, stating that the two districts of this cluster, namely OR Tambo Inland and OR Tambo Coastal, were the only ones affected by the taxi violence which took place in Mthatha.
He said that 73 FET schools out of 104 in the cluster were grounded to a halt by this incident.
“It is only those that are outside Mthatha that were able to continue with schooling.
“In the OR Tambo Coastal Education District alone, about 34 FET schools were affected, leading to 8 960 learners who were unable to write yesterday’s morning examination paper. The schools are from areas like Libode, Ngqeleni, and parts of Port St Johns.
“Furthermore, there has been no schooling in 271 primary schools in three of the four Circuit Management Centers of this district,” Mtima explained.
He added that about 10 877 Grade 12 learners from the OR Tambo Inland Education District could not write their examinations, due to this disruption.
Mtima further added that in the other four districts of this cluster, examinations continued without any disruptions.
“About 292 primary Schools also felt the brunt of the violence and could not function yesterday. Also, six centers accommodating 173 National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates could not write their history supplementary examination paper.”
