School closures: Parents vow to fight
2012-12-19 18:12
Cape Town - Dozens of parents and teachers banged on
court furniture and chanted the words "not without a fight" in the
Western Cape High Court on Wednesday.
The group is trying to halt the closure of 18 schools in
the province.
The schools, their governing bodies and the SA Democratic
Teachers' Union (Sadtu) are seeking an interdict against Provincial Education
MEC Donald Grant and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to prevent the
schools being shut on 31 December.
Those seated in the public gallery started singing and
chanting after advocates met with Judges Siraj Desai, Dennis Davis and
Elizabeth Baartman in chambers. It was unclear what they talked about.
The applicants maintain the planned closures are unlawful
and unconstitutional.
Eduardo Fagan, for Grant, said the decision to close the
schools was done in accordance with education policy and guidelines.
Fagan said it was not the court's job to determine
policy.
The application seeks to prevent Grant or the department
from closing or merging the schools and moving pupils, teachers, and resources.
Grant announced in October that, after careful
consideration, the schools would be closed because of low enrolment numbers,
multi-grade classes, or a decline in pupil numbers.
- SAPA
