Matric’s future in limbo

A PORT Alfred High School pupil who missed at least three months of schooling following his expulsion in January, is worried he will not pass matric and effectively lose out on a bursary for university.

The pupil, Xolisa Runeli, said he was battling to catch up on the workload and stood to lose out on a bursary he qualified for after his police officer father was killed in the line of duty in East London in 2006.

The 20-year-old matric pupil was expelled on January 15 after being accused of stealing a cellphone from a classmate last year.

Represented by the Legal Aid Board, Runeli lodged an appeal with the office of the Education MEC on January 27. His lawyer argued that once an appeal was lodged, a pupil had a right to return to school pending the final decision from the MEC.

Although Runeli was supplied with learning material, the school only permitted his return in April.

To date, the department has failed to inform Runeli or the school of the final outcome of the appeal.

The department failed to respond to questions yesterday.

“I feel like my future is in limbo,” Runeli said. “My marks are bad . . . I am failing and I am receiving no help from my teachers. I am no longer going to qualify for the bursary. I know my dad would have wanted me to have it. My mother cannot afford to send me to college, so my future is uncertain.”

He said he had approached the Legal Resource Centre in Grahamstown for advice on a way forward.