Parents demand appointment

Claim they were given a displaced principal without consultation

THE school governing body (SGB) of Nomzamo Junior Primary School in Whittlesea has staged a sit-in at the Queenstown district offices of the education department, demanding the appointment of a principal.

On June 4, the SGB of the school went to the department of education where they met with the Queenstown district official Madoda Ndembe who, they said, indicated that district director Nkosinathi Godlo would visit the school last week.

SGB member Nonkokhelo Msamo said the school had been operating with an acting principal since January last year, despite the adver- tisement of the post.

“Subsequent to that the district task team was sent three times in 2014, when Godlo promised to forward his recommendations, which he never did. Instead of resolving the matter, he and Sadtu agreed without consulting the SGB to impose a displaced principal who the parents did not approve of.” The post also had to be re-advertised which, members of the SGB said, was due to some teachers who were ‘manipulating the system.’ They said the new SGB was invited to a training workshop on employing a new principal and the teachers did not participate. Only one teacher allegedly later joined the workshop. “Following the training,

‘Shocked

when shortlisting postponed’

the SGB date for the short-listing of the advertised principal post was set to be May 29. We were shocked to receive a call from the department that the short-listing had been postponed.” On Monday, it was confirmed that Godlo had visited the school with the shortlisting set for June 24 and interviews for July 1. Godlo confirmed the dates and said the matter had been resolved at the school.