Riverlea Secondary School fire disrupts learning for over 300 pupils

By Thembi Moyo

Teaching and learning at Riverlea Secondary School have been disrupted after a fire broke out on the school premises on Tuesday evening, damaging key facilities and affecting hundreds of learners.

Emergency Management Services (EMS) firefighters responded to the blaze at around 19:26, working to contain the fire that tore through parts of the school. Three classrooms, a laboratory and the school library were affected in the incident, the cause of which has not yet been determined.

Gauteng Education MEC, Lebogang Maile, visited the school shortly after the incident, conducting an on-site walkabout to assess the extent of the damage.

According to the Department of Education, approximately 320 learners have been impacted, particularly those in Grades 8 and 9. In the interim, these learners are being accommodated in the school hall while officials work with the district office to put alternative arrangements in place.

Although some classrooms were not completely destroyed, they remain unusable due to smoke damage and will require thorough cleaning before they can be reopened.

Education authorities have assured the school community that measures are being put in place to minimise disruption and ensure that learning continues while plans are developed to repair the damaged infrastructure.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.