LIMPOPO MEC for education Namane Masemola is embroiled in a spat with the management of Jane-Furse Comprehensive School over the announcement of matric results.

So ugly is the spat that management allegedly rejected a letter of apology from the MEC's office, delivered by the circuit inspector.

For the first time last year the school entered pupils for the matric exams - 52 in number - and all of them passed.

The school alleges that the MEC ignored the fact that the school, in the poverty-stricken Sekhukhune district, achieved a 100percent pass rate.

PrincipalCharles Mosehla said they were baffled that their school was not invited to the annual announcement of matric results at Bolivia Lodge last week.

He said they had expected that their school would form part of the eight schools that produced a 100percent pass rates when Masemola congratulated the others.

Mosehla said owing to the MEC's conduct, management also refused to receive a trophy handed over to the school by the circuit manager on Tuesday.

"I am baffled by his actions. How could he do this thing to us?" Mosehla said.

"If he has anything against the school he must just come clean and voice it out because we have nothing against him as our leader."

Mosehla said they had started to suspect that there was more to the MEC's conduct than was evident.

He pointed out that Masemola had failed to praise a pupil from the school who had represented South Africa in London in a science Olympiad in August last year.

"He remained tight-lipped and never bothered to congratulate the school and the pupil."

Contacted for comment, department spokesperson Ndo Mangala said the school was invited through the circuit office but did not pitch up.

Mangala apologised for any wrongdoing on the part of the department and further congratulated the school for work well done.

"We are very proud of you and to show our appreciation, the MEC will visit the school on Friday," he said.