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NOT TO BLAME: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. PHOTO: TREVOR SAMSON

 They don't have sex at schools, they have sex at homes...We don't provide beds, we provide pens and books 

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BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga says pregnancies among schoolgirls and teachers who go to class drunk are not her department's problems.

Speaking in De Aar in Northern Cape at the national council of provinces' "taking Parliament to the People" programme, Motshekga said parents could not "pass the buck" back to her department on the thorny issue of rising teenage pregnancies since kids were not having sex in schools.

"Teenage pregnancy is a problem imported to schools by homes and the community. [But] it's a department problem for us," Motshekga said.

"They don't have sex at schools, they have sex at homes. This is a problem, there's something wrong indeed that it now becomes my problem. We don't provide beds, we provide pens and books"

She said instead of bringing some of their concerns to the Department of Basic Education during parliamentary hearings on basic education, parents and teachers should have sorted out their own problems at school governing body level.

Motshekga's comments were prompted by earlier appeals by a number of parents who attended the session yesterday urging the department to improve sex education.

One mother from Colesberg said children were being forced to leave school because of teenage pregnancies and unsympathetic teachers.

Motshekga said while she agreed that sex education was crucial at school level, her department could not provide contraceptives to pupils without parental consent. "We can't give your kids condoms and we can't go and give them prevention tablets without the parents' permission," Motshekga said in response.

Some of the parents also complained about alcohol abuse among teachers and pupils in schools across the province. "The teachers are also drunk and there's corporal punishment where they use pipes and fists. The children are dropping out now," one parent said.

A teacher complained that her colleagues were drunk and that, even after rehabilitation, they still came to school reeking of alcohol.

But Motshekga washed her hands off this issue as well, saying it had to be addressed by school governing bodies and not the department. Motshekga's stance is different from Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi who wants condoms distributed at schools to prevent HIV/Aids infections and early pregnancies.

Northern Cape education MEC Grizelda Cjiekella wanted to know why the department was blamed for violence in schools. "We [the community] don't want to take responsibility."

"People allow their children to go to a tavern and when they get stabbed it becomes the department of education's problem. We must not pass the buck."

Comments

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Thu May 23 10:08:35 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 8, 2012

maneater

i have long given up with this minister there's not thing coming from her that will shock me!!!
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Nov 8, 2012

Makhosini0408

Remind me again Madam, why are you still a Minister after all your blunders? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, your time is up. By the way, are you not a parent?

This is a challenge and we need to work together and please just to refresh your memory, please refer to Obama's speech, maybe you will learn something.

As a Minister, you should come up with solutions, that is why we are paying you.
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Nov 8, 2012

Dubul'Amanzi

Chiefs win it's a headline,Pirates win nothing happen,ai Sowetan. Anyway what do we expect from Angie, she should have resigned long time ago.
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Nov 8, 2012

lerato777777

Tsek
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Nov 8, 2012

asaowe

BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga says pregnancies among schoolgirls and teachers who go to class drunk are not her department's problems.

indeed minister u ddnt sleep wth the kids, nd u neva gave bought teacher liquour to drink, but your responsibility is to enforce discipleine amoungs educators meaning if teacher comes to scholl drunk exercise yr power fire the lot y nut, unfortunately u cnnt keep kids from sliping around at school or after it parets responsibiity.
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Nov 8, 2012

Makhosini0408

Dubul'Amanzi

You are right. I was thinking about that. No wonder the newspaper is a shadow of itself, a factory fault, if we use this days poloticians terminology.
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Nov 8, 2012

maneater

We don't provide beds, we provide pens and books"
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i vividly remembering you saying its not you responsibility to ensure that books are delivered. tell us now , WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILTY so we can hold you accountable?
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Nov 8, 2012

RobinX

Ag listen, lady, as far as you're concerned, NOTHING is your problem. Of all the many disgusting failures in parliament, you take the cake. Your ministry is a complete disgrace, and you don't even have the courage to be quizzed on what undoubtedly IS your problem, the appalling mess in provision of books, so with respect, pardon the raspberry I dedicate to your uselessness: BLEEAAAGH!
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Nov 8, 2012

Pabi

We don't provide beds, we provide pens and books"
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yooh! beaf e kana, the department doesn't provide bed but as a parent too we can help teachers and parents to resolve this problem." ngwana ke wa setshaba"
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Nov 8, 2012

MommaC

SUCH COMPASSION
such warmth
such understanding
such a beautiful example of how, in Africa, it takes a village to raise a child
such a magnificent show of maternal feelings
such a delightful understanding of what your duties are

....... Bazinga.
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