Arriving late not allowed

PUPILS must arrive at school on time and if they did not they would be breaking the school’s code of conduct.

Tardiness would not be condoned, said Education Department spokesman Muzi Mahlambi said yesterday.

He was reacting when approached for comment on pupils who arrived late at Northlands Primary School, following an uproar by a PR councillor who was against the Northdale school’s telling children who arrived later than 7.30am to go home.

Mahlambi said that if most of the pupils at the school could arrive on time, there were no excuses for the latecomers.

“We don’t want to be accommodating … the parents agreed to the time by sending their child to that school.”

He added that teaching time would be lost if schools accepted latecomers, and the most challenging subjects were taught in the mornings.

Mahlambi added that principals informed parents if their children were arriving late and it was up to all role-players to work together.

Councillor Rachel Soobiah disagreed, saying it was not the pupils’ fault they were arriving late – it was because of public transport which the headmaster needed to consider. She said the particular school she took issue with, closed its gates at 7.30am.

“Children who come minute later are not let in.”

Her suggestion was that the gates be closed at 7.45am or 8am, as in the case of other schools surveyed.

She said there was a nearby park and the latecomers – who are primary school children – were seen loitering around.

“I am concerned about their safety,” she said.

Soobiah suggested that the latecomers should be disciplined in other ways such as having to forfeit their breaks, instead of being sent home. a