SANS Souci Girls’ High School parents and pupils have welcomed the provincial Education Department's week-long investigation, which commences today – but they say the midday time slot for parents to be interviewed was given at short notice and is unsuitable.
The timetable, which was distributed to interested parties last Friday, says three-and-a-half hours will be set aside for parents and other representatives to be interviewed between 11am and 2.30pm.
The investigation comes after pupils protested because they are not allowed to speak isiXhosa at school, and have to adhere to a strict hair policy.
The girls say the code, which polices their natural hair and demerits them for speaking isiXhosa, leaves them feeling humiliated.
A former teacher at the school, Paula Gerard, said principal Charmaine Murray often berated isiXhosa- speaking girls openly by saying it is them who are refusing to co-operate by talking isiXhosa.
“The girls are not allowed to show their femininity by wearing braids. We were told that this is because the girls with braids stink,” she said.
Staff were warned that Sans Souci is an "English” school and that parents registering their daughters needed to understand that.
Throughout this week teachers, school governing body members, pupils and independent groups will be interviewed by department officials. Murray will be interviewed on Thursday.
By next Monday a final report will be compiled and feedback given to all parties.
The Truth We Will Proclaim movement of past and present pupils and their parents said in a statement that parents were being deliberately excluded from the process because of the scheduled times.
“While this may be working hours for the Education Department officials, it is far too little notice given to the many parents to arrange their schedules to accommodate the meeting times for those who would like to address the WCED investigating team,” the statement reads.
They have called for the department to amend the times and include late-afternoon sessions from 4pm and evening sessions from 6pm.
“This plan should be reviewed and serious consideration given to a more suitable time plan, where the availability and time of all parents is factored in, with consultation and agreement of the parents, before issuing an updated plan to get this process under way as speedily as possible,” the statement reads.
Parent Alice Mbonga said: “Hopefully with this week the perpetrators are called to book, and it's not just another public relations exercise."
The department did not respond to requests for comment.