Thaba Nchu - An urgent call has been made to the parents of children attending the Bartimea School for the deaf and blind in Thaba Nchu after learners set a section of the school alight over unhappiness about a fence yesterday.

The unhappiness started on Monday over the construction of a fence separating two hostels. Yesterday learners blocked the entrance and refused to allow anybody on the premises.

Howard Ndaba, spokesperson for the Free State department of education, says the unrest snowballed yesterday afternoon when the department asked the police to escort them to the school to get the students' files.

Learners blocked the entrance to the school and forcefully removed the hostel staff from the premises. When police arrived at the scene learners threw stones, broke windows and torched the administration block. The fire was extinguished at around 20:30 last night.

Ndaba says there are learners in the hostels that are on chronic medication and others as young as four and five years old.

The department said the fence was erected to hinder possible sexual activity between learners from the two hostels.

The department is not aware of any injuries and no arrests have been made.