Cape Town - It was disgraceful that pupils from South Peninsula High in Diep River protested outside the Western Cape High Court instead of learning in their classrooms, Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant has said.
Dressed in their school uniforms, 61 members of the school’s student representative council (SRC) protested against school closures on Tuesday. The Western Cape High Court was hearing a review of Grant’s decision to close 20 of the 27 schools he had initially identified for possible closure last year.
The majority of the schools which had been closed were small, rural schools which relied on multigrade teaching and had low pupil numbers.
Brian Isaacs, principal of South Peninsula High, said the school had a long history of activism.
“We have a history at our school where students are encouraged to voice their disapproval. The SRC decided they wanted to be there because they wanted to show their support.”
He said it was important that the Western Cape Education Department saw a school which produced excellent results could also protest against department decisions.
South Peninsula had achieved a 99 percent matric pass rate last year.
“We are serious about education and we are not going to let anyone tell us we can’t be there.”
Isaacs said he did not feel it was necessary to ask the department for permission.
“The department created trauma in our society. They were the ones responsible for students being there. The department created this war.”
He was unconcerned about possible action by the department. “To us, what must come, must come. Schools must decide, are they on the side of the poor or the side of the rich. And our school has shown it is on the side of the poor.”
Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for education MEC Donald Grant, said Isaacs was aware that the pupils should have been at school.
“It is a disgrace that learners are being used, during valuable school time, to support a particular point of view of a school principal.
“The minister does not approve of children being removed from school for any form of protest action.
“This is particularly concerning as these learners were being used to support a personal view of an individual principal.”
She said that any excursions of pupils during the school day must be linked to, and enhance, the curriculum.
“(Tuesday’s) protest action was evidently not linked to the curriculum.
“In all excursions involving learners, applications must be submitted to the district director at least six weeks in advance of the intended date.”
Casey said that the district office in which the school fell was investigating the matter.
“Following their findings, the (department) will deal with it in terms of existing protocols and policies.”
Cape Times