The department acknowledged that the school would only be operational in 2025, raising questions about arrangements for the beginning of the academic year.
Parents in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng are seriously concerned after their children were placed at Railway Secondary School – an institution that currently exists only on paper and is scheduled for construction in 2025.
The parents said the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has been placing their children at schools that have not been built and that they did not select when applying for a school placement.
Location concerns
The proposed school site drew criticism from parents who visited the area, finding it situated next to a tavern and railway station.
This arrangement contradicted government regulations regarding school locations.
“So I go there as a parent to go and see where the school is going to be built. To my surprise when I get there, the school is not there. On the right-hand side, right now it’s just a field… It’s a bush right now, as we speak. On the right-hand side of the bush, it’s a tavern opposite where the school is supposedly going to be built. And there is a railway station [on the other side],” said one parent who wished to remain anonymous.
The parent cited government gazette regulations stating that schools should not be built near taverns, cemeteries, or railway stations.
“Where practicable, a school may not be located close to, or adjacent to a cemetery; a business centre; a railway station; a taxi rank; a sewage treatment plant; a public hostel; a busy road, unless adequate preventative measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the learners; or a bottle store or shebeen,” the gazette reads.
The department’s spokesperson Steve confirmed to The Citizen that the department was aware of the gazette’s regulations.
Department’s responses fall short
When questioned about these concerns, Mabona, provided brief responses that failed to address the core issues in detail.
While confirming Railway Secondary School’s registration with EMIS number 700401327, Mabona merely stated that “according to municipal plans, the site is earmarked for educational purposes.”
On safety concerns, the department’s only response was that “the school is allocated patrollers and community leaders have been roped in for support”.
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System failures
Parents reported issues with the placement process. One parent detailed applying to five schools, only to be unexpectedly assigned to Railway Secondary School, which wasn’t among their choices.
“I’ve never, I don’t even know where it is, right? I’ve never heard of it, I’ve never seen it. So I start googling where the school is and I can’t find anything on the school,” the parent explained.
The confusion has spread to social media, with parents seeking information about the phantom institution.
“Thusang! Bare (Help! They are saying) my child transferred to Railway Secondary School in Pretoria but I can’t find such school when I google,” wrote Nthabiseng Maphresh on Facebook.
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Planning and communication issues
The department acknowledged that the school would only be operational in 2025, however, there was no mention of when it would be built or put together.
This raised questions about arrangements for the beginning of the academic year.
Parents expressed frustration over the lack of practical information regarding uniforms, logistics, and interim arrangements.
“Schools are supposed to start in January. What is going to happen from January? How do I plan as a parent financially, how do I plan? What is the uniform?” the anonymous parent questioned.
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Previous concerns
Parents also highlighted similar issues with previous school projects.
“They did the same thing last year. There’s a school where they placed containers last year. And this school still doesn’t have teachers, so it’s an incomplete project,” the anonymous parent noted.
The department maintained that transfer offers are made to parents when other schools reach capacity and that affected parents were informed about the school’s status through emails.
However, parents argued that the communication has been inadequate and their concerns remain unaddressed.
Mabona did not provide detailed responses to questions about the construction timeline, safety measures, or interim arrangements for affected students.
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