More than 40 minutes after the bell had rung to start the school day, 10 matric pupils strolled into the grounds of Maitland High School.
They were part of a group of about 80 pupils who were late on Tuesday morning.
The majority of pupils blamed late trains, having to travel great distances and the misty weather.
Others seemed to be in no hurry to make it to school on time, strolling along the streets of Maitland, stopping at shops and chatting on their cellphones.
Most pupils at the school travel there by train from Khayelitsha, Philippi East, Langa and Gugulethu.
Education MEC Donald Grant visited Maitland train station to monitor the arrival of pupils of nearby Maitland High and Buren High schools.
“It was also interesting to note the attitudes of the learners. Some, you could see, were determined to try and make it in time and rushed past me, while others took their time and were not in any rush at all,” said Grant.
Grant approached one pupil, who was already 15 minutes late, who was chatting to a friend on her cellphone as she walked to school.
“She wasn’t aware of who I was when I told her she was late for school.
“So, I decided to visit the school a while later to address both her and the learners who had seen me at the exit of the station to explain who I was and why I had been telling them that they were late for school,” said Grant.
At Maitland High, about 60 late pupils were lined up outside and then led into the hall.
Each pupil’s name and reason for being late was taken and each was given an hour’s detention later in the day.
Serial latecomers’ parents would be contacted and asked to assist.
Principal Riedwaan Kenny said on average 150 out of 940 pupils were late daily. On Mondays this number increased to about 200, with pupils arguing they were delayed by the queue to buy weekly train tickets.
Kenny said pupils were quick to shift the blame for their tardiness on to the trains and did not take responsibility themselves.
He said train arrivals were monitored by the school, so they knew when there were legitimate delays and pupils were then excused.
Grant visited the school a year ago and on that day more than 100 out of 943 pupils arrived after the school’s 8am starting time.
He said interventions were put in place late last year, which reduced the number of pupils who missed the 8am starting time to about 80.
At the beginning of this school year, the numbers had started to pick up again.
Kenny said he had sent letters to parents urging that pupils take earlier trains.
“But nine times out of 10 those letters don’t reach the parents,” he said.
He scolded pupils for being quick to blame trains for being late.
“It is not the trains that are late, it is the learners that are late.”
Grant urged pupils to catch earlier trains, go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Missing classes had a “devastating effect” on results, he said.
He explained to pupils they had to stay in the hall and not go into class as it would disturb the pupils and teacher who had made the effort to be on time.
At about 8.30am, when Grant left the school, another group of seven pupils walked into the school’s gates. About 15 minutes later another group of about 10 strolled in. - Cape Times