'No teaching till he goes'

inlsa

Principal Linda Mnotoza asks children to return to their classes. He returned to the school after being placed on leave early last year while teachers allegations against him were investigated. Picture Cindy Waxa

Cape Town - Pupils at a Crossroads school spent Thursday sitting under trees and dozing in their classrooms after staff refused to teach, in protest at the principal’s return to work.

Teachers, parents and pupil representatives told the Cape Argus they no longer wanted Linda Mnotoza to be principal of Dr Nelson R Mandela High School.

They accused him of charging parents a R200 fee and refusing to admit their children when they did not pay, despite its being a no-fee school.

They also accused him of mismanaging funds.

Mnotoza said he had been cleared of any wrongdoing by a forensic audit by the Department of Education.

A spokesman said the department was working with the school on the issue. Last year, it placed Mnotoza on compulsory leave “to defuse a volatile situation” at the school in February and March.

Mnotoza returned to the school in the middle of the year, but left again, saying he feared for his life.

He returned to school this week.

Teachers and parents said they did not accept the results of the forensic audit.

Also, a meeting was to have been held between them and department officials before Mnotoza returned, they said.

They said they wanted to see a detailed report on the audit.

“As soon as (the department) takes (Mnotoza) away, we will start teaching,” said one teacher.

Sonwabile Bangiso, president of the pupils’ representative council, said that as long as Mnotoza was at the school, they would not go to class.

Siphakamise Ngxowa, of the Congress of SA Students, said the school’s matric pass rate had been below 50 percent, but increased to 64 percent last year, when Mnotoza had been largely absent. Mnotoza said he had done nothing wrong.

“I’m here to do my duty. We are all professionals. When I come through the (school) gates I know the duties I have as a professional.”

Mnotoza said he did not want to leave the school with a cloud hanging over his head and that the department needed to sort the matter out.

Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, said the department had investigated allegations made against Mnotoza by some of the teachers last year.

Officials had found that the allegations were without foundation.

“Some of the (teachers) have refused to work. Teaching and learning were disrupted. The department is working with the school to try to resolve the situation,” Casey said.

ilse.fredericks@inl.co.za

Cape Argus