Central SA
MEC to visit #fire-stricken Garies school─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:15 Sun, 18 Sep 2022
The Northern Cape MEC for Education, together with the Head of the Department will conduct an oversight visit to the Garies High school on Monday, 19 September.
This follows after the school was gutted by a fire on Saturday.
MEC Zolile Monakali will assess the extent of the damage to determine the way forward.
ALSO READ: Fire guts Northern Cape school
According to Provincial Education spokesperson, Geoffrey van der Merwe, fire fighters from Springbok, Aggeneys and Vrededal managed to extinguish the fire in extreme windy conditions late yesterday.
Van der Merwe states that an administration block, eleven classrooms and ablution blocks were all completely destroyed by the fire.
He, however, adds that the school hall, two classrooms, the woodwork room, a storeroom and an unused ablution block have not been affected.
"The Garies High School accommodates a total 216 learners (which includes 21 Grade 12’s) and 11 educators. The school hostel accommodates 136 learners - 73 girls and 63 boys. We have also noted that answer scripts, learning and teaching support material and furniture have been destroyed by the fire," said Van der Merwe.
He adds that the department is devasted by the incident, and is currently putting plans in place to provide immediate assistance needed at the school.
