Parly: School disruptions concerning

Johannesburg - The way school pupils were being compromised because of service delivery protests was concerning, Parliament's portfolio committee on basic education said on Sunday.

"The committee understands the issues the communities are raising but realising them should not be at the expense of our children's education," committee chairperson Nomalungelo Gina said in a statement.

"Education, especially for children who are from previously disadvantaged [backgrounds] should be a priority."

The committee would visit Kuruman in the Northern Cape and Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape where more than 17 000 pupils had reportedly not been to school for months because of protests.

Earlier this month, more than 450 Kuruman matrics had been deregistered for this year's matric exams so they can prepare for next year's supplementary exams.

On 28 August, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's spokesperson said the minister was considering opening a camp for matriculants from Kuruman after a lengthy protest over a road had closed schools.

A group calling themselves the Road Forum began protesting in June demanding that a 130km stretch of road in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality be tarred.

The protesters were barring pupils and staff from going to school to get the attention of the authorities.