Learners at a Mayville, Durban, secondary school forced to sit four-at-a-desk because of an overcrowding issue are now more comfortable and able to concentrate better following a donation of 300 new desks worth R135 000 by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT).
Mayville Secondary School’s classrooms are inadequately furnished, making learning extremely difficult. But that all changed with the SAMCT’s recent provision of new desks designed to ease the problem.
Commenting on the new furniture, SAMCT representative, Mr Gaff Osman, said: “I trust the provision of new desks will go some way towards alleviating the prevailing over-crowding problem, affording learners greater comfort and improved levels of concentration.”
A major problem facing Principals and teachers at increasing numbers of South African schools is the issue of overcrowding. The problem may best be characterized by teacher shortages and inadequate infrastructure, factors that are contributing appreciably to learner overcrowding.
“Rapidly increasing learner numbers, coupled with prevailing Government funding constraints has given effect to rocketing class sizes in many rural and peri-urban schools across the country. Sad to say that classroom overcrowding has emerged as a new normal in South Africa and is a blight that will not be easily or quickly remedied,” said Mr Osman.
He added: “Every child in the country has the right and expectation of a fit and proper education and schools and it is unfortunate that teachers must – and do – make the best of an untenable and unsustainable situation, doing the best they can for the learners in their charge.”
“With learners at Mayville Secondary School often sitting four-to-desk, this is a school for which classroom overcrowding takes on a whole new meaning and leaves both teachers and learners at a considerable disadvantage. School desks are critically important, playing – as they do – a substantial role in the effectiveness of learning.“
“Having in place appropriate desks, occupied by single learners, contributes to increased comfort levels and good posture, factors critical to a learner’s ability to concentrate and work effectively.
Having to endure the restrictions and constrictions associated with multiple users of single desks can only lead to chaotic classroom environments; environments made all the more difficult to manage by teachers. It also has the potential to lead to both health-related issues and the likelihood of disruptive behavior and conflict among learners,” he said.
“Having learned of the school’s plight and in the knowledge that, with four to a desk, learners were simply not in a position to adequately apply themselves to their studies, we, of the South African Muslim Charitable Trust, were very pleased to be in a position to assist. We made available 300 new desks, valued at R135 000, which I hope and trust will make a meaningful difference to the quality of both teaching and learning at the school.”
The SAMCT was created in 2008, the result of a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al Baraka Bank, for the creation, marketing and distribution of a suite of Shariah Funds. This has ensured that the South African Muslim Charitable Trust is the beneficiary of this Shariah suite of funds, enabling it to provide funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged. It has been singularly successful in delivering sizeable assistance solutions throughout South Africa – irrespective of race or religion – and continues to work to support needy organisations in the fields of social development, poverty alleviation, healthcare and education.
Mr Osman said: “Although the provision of these desks will not resolve the overriding problem of overcrowding with this school’s classes, learners may at least derive a little more comfort by being able to occupy desks to themselves. I am sure that in spite of the sheer number of learners, having these additional desks will open the door to learner improvement and increased engagement.