Shape up, minister tells Eureka officials
Suburban high school in Springs out of control
Gangsterism. Pupils peddling drugs. Drug and substance abuse. Absenteeism. Latecoming. Weak leadership. Unaccountable teachers. Illegal and unethical behaviour from school staff. A dysfunctional school governing body (SGB). Unsupportive parents.
These were some of the shocking revelations about Eureka High School, a suburban school in Springs, Ekurhuleni.
Eureka lived up to its notoriety this week when an 18-year-old pupil was caught with a bag full of dagga on the same day that Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga visited the school.
On Monday, Motshekga was conducting a monitoring and oversight exercise at four schools in Springs, including Fred Habedi Primary, Phelang Special School and Lefa Ifa Secondary.
Eureka was identified as the worst-performing suburban school in Gauteng by education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in 2020. Last year, it was placed under administration.
Jabulani Mabuza is the third administrator, having taken the reins in October last year. The first administrator quit after three weeks for health reasons and the second left after two months for a better position.
When Motshekga met officials from the district, circuit, the school’s senior management, SGB and the police, she did not mince her words. “In my experience, a school is made up of learners, teachers and parents.
“When you speak to a 100percenter school, the teachers will tell you that ‘we work hard, we sacrifice and we are united; the parents are supportive and the learners are disciplined’.
“Where did the wheels come off at Eureka?” asked Motshekga.
Circuit manager Sarah Seete painted a horrid picture of disunity and a lack of accountability among the teachers. She spoke of a weak leadership team and despondent teachers. She bemoaned the SGB’S lack of capacity to assist with dealing with discipline at the school.
“We had to bring in functioning SGBS to help the leadership of Eureka put disciplinary processes and measures in place. But there’s no continuity and consistency applied – every time there is a disciplinary issue, the district must assist,” said Seete.
Mabuza said four of the members of the SGB had not attended a single meeting since they were elected.
Seete agreed, saying parental support was non-existent.
Motshekga has promised to come back after a month on a Saturday to meet with all stakeholders, including community leaders, parents and the police.
“Shape up,” she told the school’s senior management.