The Athlone High School representative council of learners ran a campaign earlier this month calling for the school to be granted heritage status.
Nine schools across the metro have been nominated for provincial heritage status by a non-profit organisation.
The schools were selected from across Athlone and surrounding areas based on the role they played in the anti-apartheid school boycotts and protests of the 1980s, according to the organisation, Vida Ibhubesikazi.
The nine schools are Fezeka Senior Secondary in Gugulethu, Mount View Secondary in Hanover Park, Alexander Sinton High in Athlone, Athlone High in Kewtown, Cathkin High in Heideveld, Livingstone High in Claremont, Belgravia High in Athlone, Rylands High in Rylands, and Langa High in Langa, said Vida Ibhubesikazi director Quahnita Samie.
The organisation would help school representatives complete the necessary forms and put their case to Heritage Western Cape, she said.
The process - which started in May with a series of workshops - is expected to be completed by February next year.
Pupils would be encouraged to make presentations to heritage authorities and promote their campaign in the media, Ms Samie said.
“Heritage is sorely under-represented in these areas and Vida aims to create awareness of heritage process and focus on skills transfer through the workshops.”
The participating schools could also help schools to push for heritage status in future, she said.
Zarah Abrahams, a Grade 11 from Rylands High School, said the school should be declared a heritage site because many of its past pupils had helped to organise the school boycotts, which had been a crucial part of the struggle and had shown the strength and determination of the youth back then.
Their courage should be remembered, and making the school a heritage site would be fitting way to honour them, she said.
“Rylands High learners and teachers made the ‘coffin’ to bury apartheid in the school's woodwork room. The coffin was then taken to Belgravia High where the ‘burial’ ceremony was held. It was attended by thousands of learners from different schools. Many Rylands High parents also served on ANC-led organisations, and parents, teachers and learners alike were detained by police. In 1985, 11 teachers were fired and another 11 were punitively transferred to all parts of the country for participating in the struggle,” she said.
Belgravia High School teacher Shireen Higgins-Ryklief said the struggle was ongoing and pupils wanted real social, economic and educational justice and transformation.
Many apartheid stories still needed to be told and lessons learnt, and schools remained the heart and pulse of any society, she said.
“Our school ignited protest action on our school grounds by symbolically burying apartheid with an effigy of racist prime minister PW Botha. This was witnessed by 5000 learners from surrounding schools. An act of absolute solidarity. Belgravia High School is one of the giants of schools in Athlone. We will not be silenced in our authentic right to objective representation of the unique role that youth have played and must continue to play in society.”
Heritage status would help the school to attract beneficial partnerships with community organisations, businesses and individuals, she added.