Western Cape school disruptions condemned

2012-03-12 14:41

Cape Town - Western Cape education authorities on Monday condemned disruptions at the Umyezo Wama Apile combined school in Grabouw.

MEC Donald Grant said members of the Elgin Grabouw Civic Organisation entered classrooms on Monday and apparently told pupils that teaching would not take place.

Describing this as unacceptable, he said the reason given for the disruption was that he had not responded to a memorandum, in which the group demanded that new classrooms be built.

"The truth is that the education ministry has communicated with the Elgin Grabouw Civic Organisation and has responded to their memorandum.

"We informed the chairman that should we be able to secure the site, there was every possibility that we could have a new mobile school erected and ready for use as soon as the start of the second school term."

Organisation members apparently threatened teachers who wanted to continue classes despite the interruption. Some children left the premises.

Last week, residents stormed the school in Grabouw to demand the building of a new school. Some facilities were set alight and a few people were arrested for public violence.

Grant said a suitable site for a new school had been identified, but it needed to be transferred from the national public works department, which Minister Thulas Nxesi was considering.

The school's principal and governing body had been encouraged to make sure pupil attendance was a priority.

Grant said he might seek an interdict against organisation members should disruptions become a trend.

- SAPA