Pupils at a Limpopo school have missed out on learning time for weeks after it was shut down by parents unhappy with the appointment of the principal and the Limpopo department of education does not yet have a catch-up plan in place.
More than a week ago, Sowetan reported that 1,500 pupils at Senakwe Primary near Modjadjiskloof, had not attended classes since schools reopened on January 12.
The parents said they wanted the department to appoint people already at the school for senior positions and not recruit individuals from outside.
Though children were able to go to school for a few days last week, parents shut down the school again on Friday. This time, not even the teachers are allowed into the school in Senakwe village.
Sowetan reported that the school governing body (SGB) was divided on the matter as a letter penned by SGB secretary Adrian Sengwana to the Modjadji circuit education office, on behalf of about 100 parents, demanded a copy of the attendance register from the SGB meeting where names of the recommended candidates were approved and submitted to the district office.
However, SGB chairperson Michael Selametsela said the appointments were not yet final and the interview process was conducted fairly.
Provincial education spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene told Sowetan on Wednesday (Wednesday) that the department was “aware and very concerned about the situation at the school where teaching and learning were disrupted when teachers were allegedly barred from school”.
“Teachers are now reporting to the circuit office. We are also mindful of the fact that we'll need to work with the school to develop a catch-up plan for the lost teaching and learning time. There are engagements with several stakeholders currently under way and this is towards resolution of the impasse at the school,” Chuene said.
Sengwana said parents decided to lock the gates after a delegation sent to the circuit offices was chased away by officials.
“We sent a delegation to submit a letter of complaint to the circuit offices at GaPhaphadi village but [they] were told not to set foot [there] again. The letter was not even entertained and that grew their anger and frustrations.
“The whole community agreed that we should shut down the school until the MEC for education, Polly Boshielo, intervenes. We want the position of principal be occupied by someone within the school, not an outsider as it's the case now,” he said.
When Sowetan visited the school on Wednesday, the gates were locked with no sign of life.
A concerned resident, Joseph Modika, said the children should be allowed to go to school.
“We can't be destroying our children's future by depriving them [of] schooling time, that's irresponsible.
A parent who wished to remain anonymous, as she works at the school, said she was concerned that her son lost an opportunity to participate in extramural activities.
“My son was supposed to participate during a sports day on Monday and he missed it because gates were locked. He is good in sprinting and last year he represented the school on the next level of the tournament,” she said.
Some of the pupils were seen roaming the streets.
“We found three men standing at the gate and [they] told us to go back home. I don't know why they locked the school and I wanted to go in and learn,” said a 10-year-old Grade 5 pupil.
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