THE Western Cape education department is investigating allegations of mismanagement of funds and sexual abuse against a Cape Town school principal.

This follows protests by pupils at Simanyene High School in Strand, who accused the school head of mismanagement.

There has been no learning and teaching at the school since the pupils started demonstrating last Thursday.

ANC chief whip in the City of Cape Town, Xolani Sotashe, metro east education district director Melvyn Caroline and the pupils' leaders met urgently yesterday in a bid to resolve the impasse.

Addressing the pupils after the meeting Sotashe said they had agreed with the department that there should be an investigation into the allegations.

Sotshe said they wanted the pupils to return to classes so that a culture of learning and teaching could take root.

"We want you to learn while your demands are being addressed."

Sotashe also promised the pupils that they would report back to them with the results of the investigation once it had been completed.

Western Cape education department spokeswoman Bronagh Casey confirmed the investigations.

"The initial grievance raised by pupils has to do with a R120 'contribution' to the school that was raised at a budget meeting last year."

She said some pupils paid the money at the beginning of the school year.

However, the school governing body subsequently decided they should not proceed with this and that parents or pupils who had paid would be refunded.

This was communicated to pupils last week and a meeting to discuss this with parents was scheduled for this week. The matter was then resolved on Friday.

But on Monday, pupils came with another set of grievances related to the management of the school.