Cape Town - More than a hundred people, including pupils, in Bloekombos, near Kraaifontein, were up in arms on Wednesday, alleging Masibambane Secondary School was denying pupils an opportunity to repeat their grades.
Community leader Linda Phitho said two schools were affected by the protest: Bloekombos Secondary School and Masibambane. However, he said the problematic school was
Masibambane.
Phitho said the community was calling for action to be taken to assist pupils who failed in 2019.
“The principal is standing in the way of around 120 pupils returning to the school for the year,” Phitho said.
He said the parents had reportedly approached the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to intervene in the matter, and were also calling on the department to provide the school with three mobile classrooms to accommodate the pupils.
Grade 12 pupil Bandile Cuphane pleaded for a quick intervention, and said the protest would affect their studies. “All we want is to go back to classes, so that we can be on time with our studies.”
Sinovuyo Mbada, President of the Representative Council of Learners at Masibambane secondary school says enough is enough. Video: Sisonke Mlamla/Cape Argus
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department was aware of the protest action in the Kraaifontein area. “There have also been additional claims that a number of Grade 8 learners were not permitted back at Masibambane, having failed Grade 8 in 2019. This issue had been discussed with the school last week and has been resolved.”
Hammond said the WCED had instructed the school to ensure that the learners returned.
She said the WCED was currently assessing learner numbers at each of the schools in the area, as well as classroom availability and teaching posts.