Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Lebogang Maile has revealed that the wave of illegal immigration marches has left many learners stranded and without parents as parents flee South Africa in numbers.
The recent wave of repatriation efforts aimed at illegal immigrants in South Africa has unveiled a troubling consequence: a growing number of undocumented learners now find themselves stranded without their parents, who have left the country amidst escalating tensions surrounding illegal immigration. This alarming reality was revealed by Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Lebogang Maile, during the department's budget vote in the provincial legislature on Tuesday.
Addressing the critical issue of children without guardians, Maile pledged to devise a plan to tackle the concerns surrounding undocumented learners. He stated, "I have already asked the national department of education for a list of all the undocumented children in our schools at the instruction of the courts that we must accept them. We are examining their ages and which schools they attend, and we want to assess the financial implications of supporting their education."
In addition to addressing the plight of undocumented learners, Maile touched on another pressing issue: corruption within schools, noting that reports from recent school visits reflect this persistent challenge. "The second issue is corruption in schools. We have received a report in this regard. This is coming up from the visits that we are having in the schools and communities," he added.
