Call for Motshekga to intervene

2010-09-15 17:25

Johannesburg - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga must intervene in the disruption of Grade 12 preliminary examinations, the National Congress of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) said on Wednesday.

The organisation's president Monokoane Hlobo called on Motshekga to arrange an urgent meeting with the Congress of SA Students (Cosas), the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) and SGBs to resolve the dispute amicably.

Hlobo said SGBs were concerned about the disruption of schools in different provinces by pupils demanding the postponement of exams that carry 25% of the year's marks.

Cosas has been disrupting exams across the country, demanding that they be postponed because pupils were not well-prepared following the almost month-long strike by civil servants, including school teachers.

The exam protest has resulted in the death of a 17-year-old pupil, who was shot by police in the Free State on Monday.

Meanwhile, Sadtu has also criticised the department of education's recovery plan, which it said was designed to assist only Grade 12 pupils and neglected children in other grades.

- SAPA