Chaos at high school

Legislature officials shocked during surprise visit to Kwazakhele High

ONE of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most well known township schools, Kwazakhele High, was found to be in a state of anarchy yesterday during a surprise visit by members of the Eastern Cape legislature’s education portfolio committee.

The anarchy is blamed on a malfunctioning school governing body, absenteeism and staff conflicts that filter down to the 902 pupils.

Past pupils include businessman Saki Macozoma and ANC provincial chief whip Mzoleli Mrara.

Now the committee is asking for a full audit of the school’s administrative processes.

During the visit, pupils milled about instead of being in class, while teachers sat in the staffroom.

Committee members Michael Peter and Vuyani Limba visited Kwazakhele High School, while Phumzile Mnguni led a team to Ithembelihle High in New Brighton.

Addressing the chairwoman of the Kwazakhele High School governing body, teachers and pupil representatives, Peter said: “There is no school here. There is a structure but [there is] no system. This is a crisis.”

Until this week, the school’s Grade 9 pupils had been without a social sci- ences teacher. Grade 11 pupils were without history and geography teachers for the whole of last term.

“It is one of the city’s most historic schools, that produced some of our most influential leaders. But at this rate, the school will not produce any future leaders,” Peter said.

School governing body chairwoman Nomvuyo Mbiko, and pupils who were members of the Representative Council of Learners, said they were often drawn into conflicts between teachers, the principal and other governing body members.

Mbiko, whose governing body was described as non-functional, said: “I’ve been calling for an audit into the school’s finances, but nothing has happened to date.” She said the school “collapsed a long time ago. We buy our own stationery but there is no paper trail to see how it has been distributed”.

Representative council chairman Lwando Skepu, 20, a Grade 11 pupil, said: “There is a lot of tension in the school. Some teachers end up not teaching [and] stay in the staffroom.”

Peter said a recommendation for the audit would be made at the legislature’s next sitting.

“There’s a need to restore order at the school and we will call on the Education Department to assist.”

He said the department should appoint two deputy principals and two department heads for the school.