The Gauteng Department of Education has confirmed that a procurement process linked to interventions at Dulcie September Primary School has been concluded, weeks after concerns over the school’s conditions sparked protests by angry parents and community members.
The response comes more than two weeks after The Citizen first reported on complaints about deteriorating conditions at the school and after reports emerged on social media that the school had been shut down during a community protest.
Earlier this month, parents and community members reportedly protested outside the school over conditions at the facility, with allegations that teaching and learning had been disrupted.
The protest came shortly after The Citizen published a report on complaints regarding the school’s infrastructure and learning environment. At the time, the department indicated that “remedies” would be implemented to address the concerns raised at the school.
The Citizen sent a media enquiry to the department at the time of the protests seeking clarity on the reported shutdown and the measures taken to protect students and staff.
Procurement process concluded
In a response received on Friday, the department did not confirm whether the school had been shut down during the protest or provide details on security measures implemented during the unrest.
Instead, it said progress had been made regarding planned interventions at the school.
“The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) can confirm that the procurement process has been fully concluded in line with the prescribed supply chain management procedures,” the department said.
It added that the next phase would involve engagements with the appointed service provider “to formally agree on detailed implementation timelines.”
“It must be noted that necessary arrangements will be made to proceed with the delivery of the required items, followed by the installation phase in accordance with the agreed schedule and technical specifications,” the statement read.
The department did not specify which items would be delivered to the school or provide timelines for when implementation would begin.
