Court to hear bid over Western Cape schools
2012-12-03 11:17
Cape Town - An urgent application to halt the closure of 18 schools will be heard in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
The Cape Times reported on Monday that arguments would be presented by the provincial schools, their governing bodies and the SA Democratic Teachers' Union.
The applicants filed their papers last week against provincial education MEC Donald Grant and his department, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
The application seeks to prevent Grant or the department from closing or merging the schools and moving pupils, teachers, and resources.
It also asks for subsidies and salaries to be paid in the interim and that the department be forbidden from interfering in school operations.
Grant's spokesperson Bronagh Casey told the newspaper they would continue with plans to close the schools on 31 December.
"The department will continue to follow procedure on closing the schools, in line with national guidelines and legislation. Arrangements are going ahead as per normal," she said.
Grant announced in October that, after careful consideration, 20 schools would be closed because of low enrolment numbers, multi-grade classes or a decline in pupil numbers.
Beauvallon Secondary School principal Henry Hockey, in an affidavit on behalf of all applicants, said the closures were unlawful and unconstitutional.
- SAPA
