Ehrenreich ‘only victor’ in Uitsig saga
THE political head-butting between MEC for Education Debbie Schäfer and former Cosatu provincial general secretary Tony Ehrenreich on the Uitsig High School saga continues, with Schäfer accusing him of being the only victor in the latest turn of events.
Schäfer was last week ordered to pay the costs of lawyers representing the parents and former school governing body of the school, which got interim relief from the court to have the school open – for now.
The Western Cape High Court ruled in 2017 in favour of Schäfer to close the school. Cosatu is appealing that ruling and has served Schäfer with papers advising her of an application at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
The MEC refused to keep the school open, prompting Cosatu to seek an interdict.
Last week, acting Judge Thabani Masuku granted the interim order to keep the school open until the SCA judgment which has been reserved.
“This is only a victory for Tony Ehrenreich, who has used the learners and the parents as pawns in his attempts to try to remain relevant.
“The Western Cape High Court has already ruled that my decision to close the school in 2017 was valid and in the best interests of the learners.
“Indeed, that same court dismissed the application for leave to appeal on the basis that there is no prospect of another court coming to a different decision,” Schäfer said.
She said it forced Ehrenreich and the applicants to petition the SCA for leave to appeal which is still pending.
“It is only until that petition, which I fully intend to oppose, is determined that this order now applies,” she said.
Schäfer said she decided to close the school due to decreasing learner numbers, the total state of disrepair that the main building was in, and the relentless vandalism and theft at the school.
“In addition, learner performance at the school was very low, with the school only achieving a 15.4% pass rate in 2018. With fewer than 100 learners, the school only qualifies for three teaching posts.
“The school will now open because of the court’s ruling, and three teachers will now need to teach 91 learners in five different grades eight different subjects,” she said.
Schäfer said spending more money on the run-down school was costly.
“Given the low-attendance figures, lack of appreciable growth potential and the severe state of disrepair which the main building is in, and the fact that even security guards paid by the Western Cape Education Department have been too scared to go to the school, our teachers are scared.
“There are two other schools within 1km of this school which can accommodate learners, it would be an irrational and irresponsible decision to spend even more finances, which are severely constrained and under constant pressure, to initiate the building of a completely new replacement school at a cost of around R60 million.”
Tony Ehrenreich said in response: “This issue is not about me, it is about the school and the learners who have been negatively affected by this.
“There is no plan for schools in poorer areas and that is the basis for my argument. We cannot just place learners in other schools because it just adds more pressure on the current resources.”
It would be an irrational and irresponsible decision to spend even more finances on (the school)
UITSIG High School will open – but the victory is Tony Ehrenreich’s, not the learners.
On Wednesday, the High Court ruled in favour of the former SGB at Uitsig High School, finding that the rules of court pertaining to appeals dictates this to be the case.
While I am seeking legal advice on the court’s latest ruling, some politically aligned media have already claimed this to be a victory for the learners. They are in fact wrong. This is only a victory for Tony Ehrenreich who has used the learners and the parents as pawns in his attempts to try to remain relevant.
The Western Cape High Court has already ruled that my decision to close the school in 2017 was valid and in the best interests of the learners. Indeed, that same court dismissed the application for leave to appeal on the basis that there is no prospect of another court coming to a different decision.
This forced Mr Ehrenreich and the applicants to then petition the SCA for leave to appeal. That is still pending and I fully intend to oppose it.
In 2017, I decided to close the school due to decreasing learner numbers, the total state of disrepair which the main building is in and relentless vandalism and theft at the school. Learner performance at the school is very low, with the school only achieving a 15.4% pass rate in 2018. With fewer than 100 learners, the school only qualifies for three teaching posts.
The school will now open because of the court’s ruling, and three teachers will now need to teach 91 learners in five different grades and eight different subjects.
I have been asked why we have not repaired the old school building. Given the low attendance figures, the lack of appreciable growth potential and the severe state of disrepair which the main building is in, the fact that even security guards paid by the WCED have been too scared to go to the school, our teachers are scared, and there are two other schools within a kilometre of this school which can accommodate learners, it would be an irrational and irresponsible decision to expend even more finances, which are severely constrained to initiate the building of a completely new replacement school at a cost of around R60 million to accommodate 91 learners, when they can be accommodated at other better nearby schools.
When I made the decision to close the school, I first ensured that all the learners could be accommodated at alternative schools. The WCED arranged for these learners to be placed at other schools, of which Ravensmead HS was the department’s preferred choice; it is only just under 1km away.
Another factor that I took into consideration was gang violence, as I know that there is a prevalence of gang violence in that area.
I was also assured by officials that a number of learners have moved to other schools and have not experienced any additional gang-related issues or danger in this regard. Given the state of Uitsig High I believe it would, in fact, be more dangerous for them to stay there. The fact is that there have been many learners over the past 4 years who have moved to Ravensmead HS from Uitsig HS out of choice. These learners have integrated well there. Ravensmead also achieved a 94% matric pass rate.
The factors mentioned above show that it is in nobody’s interest for learners to remain at this school. I stand by my decision and I am confident it is in the best interests of the learners.