School operating from a home without a licence
The Gauteng department of education will seek legal means to stop an independent school in Centurion, Pretoria, from operating.
On Thursday, district director Hilda Kekana opened a case at Wierdabrug police station against Centauri Dual Medium Private High School for operating illegally.
The case was opened after the department’s officials were refused entry at the bogus school when they arrived to shut it down.
Education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the school’s application was turned down in 2016.
“The school approached the Tshwane South district office in 2016 requesting to be registered as an examination centre for the National Senior Certificate.
“The request was declined due to issues related to noncompliance in terms of grade 10 and 11 promotion schedules. However, we have discovered that the school has grade 10 learners,” Mabona said.
The school is located on a smallholding and when officials arrived, the principal refused to open the gates, saying it was a private property.
“The school is operating from a residential dwelling in which effective learning is compromised. One of the educators lives on the premises and his bedroom is adjoining a classroom.
“There are not enough educators to oversee learners in five different grades. Educators are also not registered with South African Council of Educators,” Mabona said.
Pupils were seen scaling a brick wall fence when their parents came to fetch them.
After waiting outside the premises for more than three hours, the principal finally agreed to let education officials in provided the media was kept outside.
Mabona said: “What we saw inside is not a healthy environment for school kids.
“The department has therefore acted within the prescripts of the policy regulating the registration and withdrawal of registration of this school”.
Mabona said the affected pupils will be placed at other schools and the department will make sure that their education is not compromised.