Classes resume though issue of ‘absent’ teacher is yet to be resolved

Irate parents shut down Papenkuil Primary School in protest last week

While teaching and learning resumed at a Gqeberha school in the Eastern Cape yesterday, an absent teacher who sparked a two-day protest has still not returned to work.

Irate parents shut down Papenkuil Primary School on Thursday and Friday last week, claiming a grade 6 and 7 mathematics teacher’s continued absence was hampering their children’s education.

Teaching and learning for the 778 pupils ground to a halt as parents gathered in front of the school wielding placards to express their gripes.

On Friday, the grade 6 and grade 7 pupils joined their parents in protest.

Parents said they had been having problems with the teacher and her constant absenteeism since 2012, but the problem had become progressively worse in 2021.

According to the parents and members of the school governing body (SGB), their pleas to the district and provincial department of education to intervene have fallen on deaf ears.

SGB chair Michael Loggenberg said though pupils returned to school yesterday, it was not business as normal. “This teacher is still absent.

“The department of education only replied in [newspaper] The Herald. We have not heard anything from them yet. “There is still no substitute teacher. “The children are on their own,” Loggenberg said.

Fed-up parents are particularly worried about the grade 7 pupils who have to apply to various high schools while their mathematics marks are so weak.

Eastern Cape education department spokesperson Mali Mtima said the department was aware of the situation.

Mtima said plans had been afoot to address the matter even before parents took to the streets on Thursday.

According to Mtima, the school’s request for a substitute teacher was receiving urgent attention.

Loggenberg said parents would regroup on Wednesday to decide on a way forward.

There is still no substitute teacher. The children are on their own