On top of final exam stress, matric learners (and those in other grades) are feeling extra pressure due to the uncertainty created by out-of-service scholar transports they use to travel to school.
Taxi strikes in the Eastern Cape (EC) are currently posing a threat to this year's exam season, leaving learners stranded and making it challenging to arrive at the test venues on time and sit for their final exams.
On Monday, operators told education officials that they could no longer rely on their services as they await payment from the Department of Transport.
The scholar taxis transport over 5000 learners to their various schools all over the province.
Several areas have been affected, particularly rural communities where learners have to travel outside the area to get to school; some learners have found themselves at home past the exam starting time.
The current strikes are a result of outstanding fees, meant to be paid by the Eastern Cape Department of Education to transport drivers they had previously entered an agreement with, and who operate scholar taxis and transport the province's school children.
A meeting to resolve the tension and find a solution is currently underway.
The Eastern Cape's Transport Department says the delay in payments isn't due to "financial constraints", but rather due to a system error on their part. The situation is hoping to be resolved soon, with the taxi operators receiving what they are owed by this coming Friday.
Taxi operators have allegedly been complaining for months about not receiving their payments, which is what led to the strikes taking place then and now.
Parents are worried that their children may fail their exams and this year, at no fault of their own.
"Our children are supposed to be writing their final exams. The most painful thing is that if the Government does not pay the transport, we won't feel comfortable. Our children travel long distances to go to school. Our children get attacked on their way to school; it's not easy for us to pay for the transport as we cannot afford it. The Government must resolve this matter," said one parent.
The scholar transport operators are aware of the impact this has on learners and have expressed their sympathy, especially due to the timing of the strike.
Teachers at schools in the province have expressed their concerns over the matter, as they have had to continuously make adjustments and accommodations for the learners that are affected.
