Schools held to ransom
GROWING CONCERN AS MORE THAN 40 ARE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN AS PROTESTS SPREAD
A TEACHERS union and parents have lashed out against service delivery protesters who prevent pupils from going to school.
Their criticism comes as more than 40 schools in Limpopo have been shut down due to protests over textbooks and the construction of a road.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) yesterday warned against barring children from going to school.
“Barring children from going to school impacts negatively on teaching and learning. While we applaud parents for taking the stand and addressing issues affecting their children in schools, we condemn the barring of children from attending school,” said Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke.
“The danger in that is that the department of education channels resources towards Grade 12. But what about the other grades?” asked Maluleke.
He said interventions meant to help pupils recover lost time in Vuwani, Limpopo, last year had benefited matriculants only.
At least 29 schools were burnt down in Vuwani during violent protests by the community over a demarcation dispute.
“Schools in the area were shut down for nearly two months due to the protest, with more than 52 000 pupils unable to go to school,” the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said.
“Matriculants were taken to camp but what about the other children?” Maluleke said.
Shortly after the protests, the SAHRC investigated the impact of protest-related action on the right to basic education.
The commission found that there were no uniform policies to deal with protests where pupils are barred from going to school, violating their right to basic education.
The commission recommended that the Department of Basic Education must establish a national public protest response team which will have to review the Schools Act to determine whether its provisions are sufficient to deal with those who bar children from going to school, among other things.
The department’s spokesman Elijah Mhlanga could not be reached for comment yesterday.
NASGB general secretary Matakanye Matakanya said it was worrying that such incidents were continuing.
“It is worrying us very much that the department has a policy that teaching must start on the first day of the opening of schools but they are the ones not delivering stationery on time.
“We support the parents who are protesting. They are claiming what is theirs. The department will act quickly. However, we are against the barring of children from going to school. They (protesters) must create a peaceful passage that allows children to continue going to school,” Matakanya said.
Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said their mandate was to ensure that “everybody lives in peace”.
“We cannot deploy a police officer to every school. However, our deployment will address threats we have identified. We are ready for any eventuality.
“We are only there to maintain law and order. No arrests have been made and so far. Four vehicles have been torched,” said Mojapelo.