Laerskool Oranje-Noord (Upington)

Laerskool Oranje-Noord. Upington. The Northern Cape. Broe, you know it is hot there. Not Cape Town "oh it is a bit warm today" hot. We are talking "the tar is actually melting and my water bottle is boiling" hot. You chose to put a primary school in the place where the sun comes to practice. Respect. Now, 1172 learners and only 49 teachers. That is a 23.9 to 1 ratio, which means your teacher is basically a taxi driver. Too many passengers, one driver, everyone is sweating, and somebody is always crying in the back. The poor Grade 3 teacher is standing there like she is managing a taxi rank in Upington peak hour, except the passengers are seven years old and one of them definitely ate a crayon this morning. And "Noord." North. North of what exactly? North of the other Oranje school? North of the robot that does not work? North of the shade? Because in Upington, north just means you are slightly closer to the actual sun. These kids are not going to school, they are going to the surface of Mercury with a lunch box and a dream. Overall verdict: Laerskool Oranje-Noord is basically a braai with homework, overcrowded, overheated, and somehow still producing kids tough enough to handle anything life throws at them, which is honestly more than most fancy schools can say.