Curro school found guilty of racism

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Published May 15, 2015

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Johannesburg -

The Gauteng Education Department is reviewing Curro Roodeplaat’s operating licence after finding the private school guilty of racially segregating pupils.

In January, a group of about 30 parents of pupils at Curro Foundation School in Roodeplaat signed a petition demanding to know why some classes were made up entirely of black pupils while others had only white learners.

The school apologised and put the children in mixed-race classes after Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi intervened.

It also admitted it had racially segregated the pupils because white parents were threatening to take their children out of the school.

Lesufi stepped in and appointed a law firm to investigate. The probe has now found the school guilty of racism.

The investigation was conducted across all Curro schools in the province, but the licence review was only for the Roodeplaat campus.

The department gives all independent and private schools licences to operate, and they can be withdrawn at any time.

“The school has admitted that its practice of segregation was wrong, and it has acted quickly to re-allocate learners of minority racial groups throughout three English classes in Grade R after the submission of the petition,” Lesufi said.

“We will not disadvantage any learners. With the review, we want Curro to show that they will change.

“If we are convinced the systems for non-racialism are there, they can continue to operate.”

But the school said this had not been communicated. “It is important to note that Curro has to date not received any correspondence or notification in this regard. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the matter with MEC Lesufi,” Curro Holdings chief operating officer Andries Greyling said.

“Curro Holdings does not support any form of racial segregation in any of its schools. We will respect and consider carefully the findings and any suggestions and recommendations of the inquiry. We now wish to move forward,” he added.

Greyling said the Curro group had 42 schools across the country and 66 percent of the pupils were black.

There are no time frames for when the review will be completed. Lesufi said management and teachers at the school went through diversity training, and it had been recommended that it take place every year.

Lesufi said racism was a big problem in schools in the province. “In some of our schools, people believe it is their right to be alone because of their culture and language. This has to stop.”

The department had appointed an independent committee to investigate racism in all schools, independent and private.

“There will be public hearings and we will also host an anti-racism education summit next month,” he added.

The Star

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