A heavily pregnant school principal is among a group of people arrested as police and the Gauteng department of education clamped down on illegal schools in Ivory Park, outside Midrand, Johannesburg.
The woman is one of two principals arrested during the raids. Police also apprehended 16 illegal immigrants.
“These are the people who failed to prove that they are in the country legally,” police spokesperson Cpt Bernard Matimulane said.
More than 1,000 pupils will be affected by the closure of illegal schools in the area.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, who joined the raid, said the illegal institutions created serious problems for the department.
“These children have been taught by people who are not qualified to teach our children. The infrastructure is not conducive for learning, there are no fire escapes, and I don't know the syllabus they are teaching,” he said.
Lesufi added that the affected pupils did not get reports and after passing grade 10 they had nowhere to go to finish their schooling.
“These kids don't have academic reports and they will end up on the streets...” Lesufi said.
Pregnant principal among those arrested in swoop
A heavily pregnant school principal is among a group of people arrested as police and the Gauteng department of education clamped down on illegal schools in Ivory Park, outside Midrand, Johannesburg.
The woman is one of two principals arrested during the raids. Police also apprehended 16 illegal immigrants.
“These are the people who failed to prove that they are in the country legally,” police spokesperson Cpt Bernard Matimulane said.
More than 1,000 pupils will be affected by the closure of illegal schools in the area.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, who joined the raid, said the illegal institutions created serious problems for the department.
“These children have been taught by people who are not qualified to teach our children. The infrastructure is not conducive for learning, there are no fire escapes, and I don't know the syllabus they are teaching,” he said.
Lesufi added that the affected pupils did not get reports and after passing grade 10 they had nowhere to go to finish their schooling.
“These kids don't have academic reports and they will end up on the streets...” Lesufi said.