Cops to deal with school latecomers

2012-02-13 12:19

Johannesburg - Pupils who arrive late for school in Soweto from Tuesday will be taken to a police station and their parents will be called to fetch them, the Gauteng education department and Lead SA said on Monday.

"It's time for things to change," Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy said in a joint statement on Monday.

About 700 pupils and several teachers arrived late for classes at the Lavela Secondary School on Monday, when Creecy made a surprise visit.

They arrived between 30 minutes and an hour after the 07:50 bell rang.

"From tomorrow [Tuesday], anyone arriving late will be taken to the Jabulani police station.... We will then call your parents to come and collect you," Creecy said.

"We have been watching you for a week. Whether the sun shines or whether it rains, you are late. You arrive here long after the bell has rung," she said.

According to the statement, some teachers said they were late because of long travelling distances and traffic. Pupils said they had woken-up late.

Creecy and Lead SA would return to the school to conduct spot checks.

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- SAPA