PUPILS in Masutlhe Village, near Mahikeng in the North West, could be left behind in their final exams.
Tap here to download the FREE Daily Sun App
This comes after residents blocked a road, demanding water and electricity.
The road blockade, which started on Tuesday, 10 November, is disrupting the movement of examination question papers and preventing pupils and teachers from reaching schools.
The North West Department of Education has appealed to residents to reopen the road, warning that the disruption affects pupils across all grades, not only matric pupils.
Acting education MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi urged the community to let pupils and teachers through, while engaging the relevant authorities to resolve their concerns.
ALSO READ: Kgaugelo’s ‘killer’ abondons bail!
She said pupils in other grades were also writing their internal final examinations and shouldn’t be punished for issues beyond their control.
“I’m appealing for constructive engagement between the community and the relevant authority without compromising learners’ education,” she said.
However, residents’ demands for water and electricity also raise concerns about how the lack of basic services affects pupils.
The department urged all parties to find a solution that allows exams to continue without further disruption.
Community members have also called on the department to engage Eskom and Mahikeng Local Municipality to restore water and electricity, saying the service disruptions are affecting pupils and could impact the district’s pass rate.
