Education disruption no longer tolerated

ELEMENTS tarnishing the image of the education sector must be flushed out of our society.

This was the strong message of Department of Education’s King Cetshwayo District Director, David Chonco, speaking at a matric examinations prayer and awards ceremony at the Mbizo Hall in Empangeni last week.

Chonco said his department would mobilise communities in the district to protect their children from ruthless thugs out to deprive learners of their right to education.

‘We have seen high levels of brutality in our schools of late, where learners are attacked and murdered for no reasons.

‘The latest incident is the one involving a Grade 11 learner of Qhamuka High School in Macekane Reserve, who was raped and murdered while returning home from school.

‘In that incident, it was the community of Macekane who decided to take the matter further by first tracing down the suspect and dealing with him.

‘I want to put it on record that as a department, we are tired of burying learners who are being murdered by criminals almost every week,’ Chonco said.

‘I was not hired in this department to bury learners and teachers, but I had come here to foster a culture of learning and teaching at schools.

‘Since arriving at this function, I have been receiving messages on my cellphone that learners at Richards Bay Secondary School are fighting as we speak, and that no teaching is taking place at Mkhayideni Technical High School.

‘These messages disturb me a great deal, especially now that we are already busy with examinations. I just hope these schools will quickly resolve whatever challenges they are facing. We can’t afford to have schools embroiled in turmoil at this time of the year,’ he said.

‘We have also noted that ill discipline at schools is compounded by older learners. Those above 19 years have proved to be troublesome, as many see their teachers as girlfriends and boyfriends.We are attending to that issue.’