Education dept appeals for 'level-headedness'
2012-09-14 22:15
Johannesburg - The Northern Cape education department has appealed for "level-headedness" on Friday, following intimidation of pupils in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality.
"As education, we continue to appeal for level-headedness (sic) and that political organisations must refrain from the blame game and instead contribute ideas of what can be done," said spokesperson Sydney Stander in a statement.
"We rely on the security cluster to unravel the situation for us, because it is beyond comprehension how any people can compromise the future of our children in pursuit of any interests."
A total of 41 of the 65 schools in the municipality have been closed since June because of intimidation.
Stander said while Grade 12 camps were coping well with the situation, many schools in the district were still closed.
An attempted petrol bombing of a pupil's home was in the hands of the police, he said.
On Thursday, basic education department spokesman Panyaza Sefusi said the schooling situation in the district had deteriorated, with the petrol bombing affecting attendance.
He said mediators would brief the department on Friday as to the situation, and what needed to be done to get children back into the school.
Locals were protesting about a lack of tarred roads in the municipality.
- SAPA
