GEORGE NEWS - The education of students of the George Community Learning Centre (CLC) was abruptly disrupted and the office plunged into disarray on Monday 5 May when the premises had to be vacated on short notice.
Their rental contract had expired.
The staff said they were taken aback, as their head office, the Community Education and Training College (CETC), had only informed them during the preceding weekend that they would have to vacate. The CETC is responsible for payment of rental and other office expenses.
On Monday, one of the lecturers, Alfonso Katts, had to scurry to find storage space for all the documents and furniture. When George Herald arrived at the centre, some of the students were helping the staff pack up.
The landlord, Tobie Heyns, said he had informed the CETC two and a half months ago that its contract would be expiring. The CLC had been a tenant for a number of years.
"I told the CETC that if I did not hear from them, I would hand over the keys to an interested tenant who wanted to move in from 1 May. There was no communication from the college for two months. When they responded the weekend before the contract would lapse, it was too late. The new tenant had already signed.
"I really feel for the students and staff, but I followed the correct procedures and had to make a business decision," said Heyns.
Katts is currently tutoring some students of the Pacaltsdorp CLC at his home after that centre was also evicted in April because of rental payment issues.
In the interim, the George CLC staff must also report to Katts' house in the mornings and remain there till 13:00, but it is not really possible to do much work as all documents and office equipment are in storage.
One staff member said she feels very uncomfortable about that. "It means the DHET [Department of Higher Education and Training - the overarching authority for CLCs] gets a paper trail that indicates staff are working, while in fact they are not really. That is just not right."
A WhatsApp group has been created for students through which assignments are shared, but no lectures are being held.
The premises was vacated on 5 and 6 May. Dumbfounded students were hovering about, uncertain as to what to expect next. Some helped carry out furniture and boxes. Photo: Alida de Beer
The CETC's principal, Phumezo Zita, confirmed that the rental had been two months in arrears, but said the college had settled it. "The college experienced challenges with its payment system, which have since been addressed."
Zita said the college is planning to roll out skills programmes to the community for which the current premises does not have adequate capacity.
"Furthermore, the lease agreement conditions were restrictive. It is for this reason that the college was looking for suitable premises fit for purpose and accessible to its community. We acknowledge the delay in communication with the landlord. While the college is still looking for suitable premises, the current students are placed at other offering sites within the college structure."
The students are still without a training space.
CLCs in the Western Cape take in learners of 16 years and older to help them achieve Grade Nine, the minimum education level needed to be enrolled at a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college. Katts said the George CLC has built up a solid reputation in the community under the leadership of the former manager, Carlene Swartz, who had retired in May last year.
According to another staff member, rental and other office-related concerns started arising after the migration of Western Cape CLCs from the provincial Department of Basic Education to the DHET. Efforts to contact the latter failed.
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