THE marked increase in Paarl parents demanding English medium education for their children, has caused a crisis in classrooms.
The unavailability of appropriate teachers and classroom facilities is of great concern to principals and children have to be taught in a language not of their choice.
The crisis has forced Mirinthia Maasdorp, principal of Noorder Paarl Secondary, to submit an urgent appeal for more English medium posts to the Education Department.
To date she has had no reply, but Maasdorp hopes to have a positive answer for potential English medium learners by Saturday.
That is when Noorder Paarl has its Open Day, from 08:00 to 12:00.
The only other schools to offer English medium for boys in Drakenstein are Paarl Boys’ High and New Orleans Secondary in Paarl East, Huguenot High in Wellington and Franschhoek High School.
Boys’ High is not taking in any more candidates for Grade Eight.
Its six classes for first-time secondary schoolers (two English medium, two double medium and two Afrikaans medium) have been filled to capacity.
“We were able to accommodate all learners for whom Boys’ High is the nearest school,” vice-principal James Genis said.
New Orleans has a waiting list of 60 candidates for English Medium in 2008.
According to principal Dennis von Willingh the school was built for 1080 pupils, and it now houses 1492 learners.
Classrooms were designed for 35 learners, while Grade nine and ten classes now consist of up to 49 pupils. Five educators are “travelling teachers” - without own classrooms.
This problem of space is nothing new and is strangling schools throughout Drakenstein. The latest dilemma caused by the increased interest in English medium education, however, is getting many hot under the collar.
“The Education Department maintains that there is a desk for each and every learner in Drakenstein,” a teacher said.
“That may be so, but the department does not take choice, proximity to school or language preference into consideration.”
