Parents Decide to Halt Operations at Van Coller Primary School Over Safety Concerns

Komani, Eastern Cape – Parents and community members of Van Coller Primary School in Komani have decided to completely halt school operations when the school opens for the 2026 academic year on Wednesday, 14 January, citing serious safety and infrastructure concerns.

The decision was confirmed by parent representative Mr Bulelani Qowa, who said the move followed ongoing engagements with the school regarding conditions parents believe place learners and staff at risk.

Decision taken to halt school operations

“We as the community and parents of Van Coller Primary School have decided to stop the operations in the school until the issues tabled are resolved,” Qowa said.

He added that parents believe a safe and healthy school environment is essential for learner wellbeing and academic performance.

Unsafe and damaged facilities cited

Parents say their decision is primarily linked to unsafe conditions at the school, including damaged and deteriorating facilities. They argue that the state of the infrastructure poses safety risks and undermines effective teaching and learning.

According to parents, the issues have been raised with school management since 2024, but remain unresolved.

Meeting scheduled with education authorities

A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday at 17:00 at the school, involving:

• Officials from the Department of Education

• The School Governing Body (SGB)

• The school principal

• School staff

• Parent representatives

Parents say the purpose of the meeting is to seek urgent intervention and clear timelines to address the infrastructure and safety concerns.

Department of Education response

Komani News has reached out to the Department of Education for comment regarding the parents’ decision to halt school operations and the reported condition of the school facilities.

At the time of publication, the Department of Education had not responded.

This article will be updated should a response be received.