Private schools want to exploit the situation in Vuwani, Limpopo, where schools have shut following their destruction in violent protests.
This claim was made by a principal to the National Investigative Hearing into the Impact of Protest-Related Actions on the Right to a Basic Education in South Africa yesterday.
The principal from Vuwani said private schools sought to benefit from stalled education in the area.
"There are private schools who are taking advantage of the situation. They promise to register Grade 12 learners for final year exams ... and because learners and parents are desperate some of them are falling for this trap.
"One principal from one private school called me and he was asking me to recruit my learners to his school and he also promised to give me some commission out of that," said the principal.
He said said the situation in the area was so bad that some principals cannot even access school stamps to do administration work.
He said the situation was more dire for those schools that were burnt down as resources and records were now ashes.
"Some schools do not even have school stamps and last week we were supposed to be signing for claims for NSNP [National School Nutrition Programme]. Those schools that did not have school stamps faced a challenge and the district had to intervene."
He said seven schools from a neighbouring village that is not part of the demarcation issue opened two weeks ago, but because some of the pupils that attend those schools are from Vuwani they also find themselves facing challenges.
He said the schools closed in solidarity with Vuwani but opened last week but some pupils were still staying home.
"You find a school having an enrolment of more than 800 learners but at the moment it's at 400, and what is happening you cannot say proper teaching and learning is taking place because after 10 o'clock [when they have eaten from the school nutrition programme] they go home," said the principal.
He said parents from the affected areas, whose children attend the seven schools that have opened, prevented their children from going to school while some fetched them from the schools.
"Parents tell the principal that they must fetch their kids because they are afraid that their homes might be burnt if they allow them to attend school," said the principal.
Harold Gondwe, principal of Sitintile Secondary School in KwaNyamazane, Mpumalanga, said the protests denied pupils and teachers their freedom of movement.
"Yesterday [Monday] there was a protest at Matsulu, a nearby township, and our learners are busy writing exams. They could not come and even teachers could not attend [because the roads were blocked]. The school attracts learners from neighbouring townships so these protests don't take consideration for exams and pupils miss exams," said Gondwe.
He also said the protests were also disadvantaging pupils who depend on the national school nutrition programme.
He said his school serviced pupils from poor backgrounds who depend on the meals they get at school. If they are prevented from coming to school they don't get to eat, he said.
Gondwe also said protests harmed annual plans for schools.
macupeb@sowetan.co.za
Private schools want to exploit the situation in Vuwani - school principal
Private schools want to exploit the situation in Vuwani, Limpopo, where schools have shut following their destruction in violent protests.
This claim was made by a principal to the National Investigative Hearing into the Impact of Protest-Related Actions on the Right to a Basic Education in South Africa yesterday.
The principal from Vuwani said private schools sought to benefit from stalled education in the area.
"There are private schools who are taking advantage of the situation. They promise to register Grade 12 learners for final year exams ... and because learners and parents are desperate some of them are falling for this trap.
"One principal from one private school called me and he was asking me to recruit my learners to his school and he also promised to give me some commission out of that," said the principal.
He said said the situation in the area was so bad that some principals cannot even access school stamps to do administration work.
He said the situation was more dire for those schools that were burnt down as resources and records were now ashes.
"Some schools do not even have school stamps and last week we were supposed to be signing for claims for NSNP [National School Nutrition Programme]. Those schools that did not have school stamps faced a challenge and the district had to intervene."
He said seven schools from a neighbouring village that is not part of the demarcation issue opened two weeks ago, but because some of the pupils that attend those schools are from Vuwani they also find themselves facing challenges.
He said the schools closed in solidarity with Vuwani but opened last week but some pupils were still staying home.
"You find a school having an enrolment of more than 800 learners but at the moment it's at 400, and what is happening you cannot say proper teaching and learning is taking place because after 10 o'clock [when they have eaten from the school nutrition programme] they go home," said the principal.
He said parents from the affected areas, whose children attend the seven schools that have opened, prevented their children from going to school while some fetched them from the schools.
"Parents tell the principal that they must fetch their kids because they are afraid that their homes might be burnt if they allow them to attend school," said the principal.
Harold Gondwe, principal of Sitintile Secondary School in KwaNyamazane, Mpumalanga, said the protests denied pupils and teachers their freedom of movement.
"Yesterday [Monday] there was a protest at Matsulu, a nearby township, and our learners are busy writing exams. They could not come and even teachers could not attend [because the roads were blocked]. The school attracts learners from neighbouring townships so these protests don't take consideration for exams and pupils miss exams," said Gondwe.
He also said the protests were also disadvantaging pupils who depend on the national school nutrition programme.
He said his school serviced pupils from poor backgrounds who depend on the meals they get at school. If they are prevented from coming to school they don't get to eat, he said.
Gondwe also said protests harmed annual plans for schools.
macupeb@sowetan.co.za
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