The community barricaded roads around the area with debris as they protest over the decision to be relocated to nearby schools.

North West Education Department spokesperson, Elias Malindi, says Grade 12 pupils have been moved to a boarding school.

“The school conditions are not conducive for learning and teaching now, the school has been vandalised more than five times, so the MEC offered parents an opportunity to take learners to three boarding schools identified to accommodate the learners, but the parents have refused for their children to go there.”

Malindi says the process of procuring mobile classrooms takes a long time.

“We wanted the learners of Tirelong to be at school since inland schools are opening, we told them that this is a temporary measure, but they refused,” said Malindi.

eNCA reports parents in Rustenburg in the North West are protesting against the schools their children have been assigned. One parent said the children are not safe.

"The place itself is not safe for children. Some have been raped from that place. It's not safe," the parent said.

"What they've done is that they decided to take our children to another far place. There is no protection for our children there. There will be a possible solution, let them provide some containers, let them put temporary containers so that our children will not miss classes," another parent said.

When asked how many years the problem has persisted for, one parent said since 2014.

"It started with the first councillor, his term ended in 2016. Another councillor was promising the same thing. Even now because we have a new councillor, maybe he can do something if we push him and that's what we are going to do."

North West police spokesperson Aafje Botma says they are monitoring the situation.

“The R514 Kroondal road has been closed this morning, a group of 250 students are waiting for the department to address their concerns.” 

#WATCH Learners at Tirelong Secondary school near Rustenburg in the North West have taken their frustrations to the streets as their school remains closed after it was vandalized. Learners & parents are refusing the temporary solution of being placed at nearby school. #SABCNEWS pic.twitter.com/78Lq3Eu0Pf

— sellwane khakhau (@SellwaneKhakhau) January 12, 2022

Jacaranda News