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THE principal of Queenspark High School in Woodstock says the school's staff would have taken "all factors into account" before feeding pupils sheep brains and lungs at a recent school camp.

But Grade 8 learner Rusqah Joubert (13) is apparently still experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction after being presented with a serving of offal to eat last week.

Grade 8 pupils at the school were presented with a number of activities at the two-day camp, one of which involved the teenagers being asked to eat the offal.

Concerned mother Faranaaz Joubert explains that when her daughter returned home on Friday, her mouth and throat were visibly swollen and her body was lame.

"She told me she had not been feeling well since Thursday.

"I took her to the doctor, who said she was having an allergic reaction and that if I hadn't brought her in, her vocal chords could have been damaged," she says.

Rusqah's doctor contacted the school to complain about the incident, explains Joubert.

Despite Rusqah finishing her course of prescribed antibiotics, her mother says she is still feeling under the weather, although she has returned to school.

"She has pimples on her legs and she doesn't really want to eat, but what is even worse is that children are calling her names at school.

"This  is  not  her  fault  and  they  are  ac?ting  like  we  are  lying  about  all  of  this," she says.

Paul Roman, the school's principal, refused to divulge details of the incident, maintaining the child's parents had not followed the "right protocol" in reporting what had transpired.

Until they made an official complaint, he would not be able to comment on the matter, he said.

"We never received an official complaint from the parents; the first time we heard about any of this was through the media."

Until he has met with the girl's mother, Roman would not provide the Department of Education with a written report on the matter.

However, he did mention that the Grade 8 camp, a tradition at Queenspark High School, was enjoyed by the other learners and no other complaints had been received.

Gert Witbooi, spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Education, confirms this is not the first time the principal or the school has been thrust into the limelight with the department or the media.

He says several learners were barred from the school earlier this year when their pa?rents could not pay school fees, although this type of action is "illegal".

The matter is under investigation by the department.

"The district manager will investigate the latest incident once we receive a formal report or complaint from the school or parent," says Witbooi.

Roman says the girl's well-being and happiness at the school are a concern after media reports had unnecessarily blown the incident out of proportion.

"We would never put a learner in a situation that might affect their health."

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