North West Education MEC Wendy Matsemala says parents who deny their children access to education are contravening the Schools Act. She was referring to parents of Tirelong Secondary School in Kroondal near Rustenburg, who are refusing to allow their children to be relocated to neighbouring schools.
Their school was badly vandalised during the recent holidays and critical electronics and equipment stolen. About 430 learners will temporarily be placed at three nearby farm schools.
Matsemela says, “I am here to say to the parents, your learners will be safe wherever they will be, moving forward and I am saying to the parents, your learners – given that as a custodian of the system of education according to the South African’s Schools Act, in the North West province, I must see to it that all learners, who are eligible to be in our schools, must be there.”
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the School’s Governing Body, Donald Nkhanedzeni, says the intervention by the provincial education authorities, has not helped.
He has now called for the intervention of the national minister.
“There is no solution because the MEC just decided herself. She said she wants to split the school, but as a parent and SGB and community of Kroondal, we are not going anywhere because the MEC failed us. We need the head, Angie Motshekga, to come down here at Kroondal community.”
The below video discusses calls for schools to resume full-time learning in 2022:
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