Over 2,5 decades ago I completed and obtained full my Matric qualification from Star of the Sea High School which boasted the reputation of being the best secondary education school in northern KwaZulu Natal. The name Star of the Sea High School represented quality education, disciplined learners, dedicated educators, involved parents, principled boarding facility lodgers. Learners flocked from all over Natal, the homeland of KwaZulu and Transvaal province as they were known then (present day KZN and Gauteng). 28 years later my heart sinks when I look at my alma mata. Buildings have aged without much as a touch of paint on the walls. Learners lack fire in their eyes that show less enthusiasm about school and learning. There's graffiti on the walls. The boys boarding facility has broken and unused desks thrown all over. Girls from distant homes travel to and from school on the back of bakkies exposed to all weather elements (wind, cold, rain, etc) and face the very real danger of being raped and told not to say a word about their ordeals. And that could have been my daughter! I feel so much pain in my soul as I look at the state of decay my former school has become and children left in harms way for lack of decent boarding facilities with appropriate lighting, warms, and fresh nutritious meals for the learners.
