Durban — Parents, teachers and pupil bodies have called for the rolling of heads at Grosvenor Girls High School after the panel’s report which found that allegations of racism and financial irregularities were true.
The report with damning findings against the principal was released by Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu on Monday. The MEC said he accepted the report with its findings and recommendations.
Reacting to the report KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association chairperson Vee Gani said though he had not seen the report he had heard that the independent panel had found that parents and pupils were vindicated by the report that the school harboured racism.
He called on the affected parties to respect the findings, adding that those found responsible must be held accountable.
Gani said the department must ensure this does not happen again.
The National Teachers Union president Sibusiso Malinga echoed Gani’s words, saying it was unfortunate that the principal was found to be perpetuating racism in a public school.
Malinga said the principal represented the department’s head and the MEC in a school so she/he must be the one to ensure the policies of the department were adhered to.
“South Africa is a unitary state with one education system so any child irrespective of his or her race is allowed to attend any school so if this principal feels she must come up with her own policies she must establish a private school,” said Malinga.
The findings were also welcomed by the National Professional Teachers Association of South Africa (Naptosa).
Thirona Moodley who is the union chief executive in the province said the findings were serious and warranted disciplinary action.
She said the use of derogatory and discriminatory language had no place in schools and school leaders could not be allowed to perpetuate racism.
She added that the principal must also be held personally responsible for irregular appointments and financial mismanagement.
“Naptosa wants this to be a lesson for the Department of Education. Allegations reported to the department must be dealt with swiftly and expeditiously. We cannot allow our learners to take to the streets before we act,” said Moodley.
Congress of SA Students’ provincial leader Khetha Mjodi said the pupils were vindicated by the panel’s report and called for the swift implementation of the findings.
The panel was led by advocates Vusi Khuzwayo and Makhosini Nkosi and it found that racism was systematic and structural. The panel also found that racism had become normal practice to a point that black staff and black pupils were not treated with dignity and respect because of their race.
The report noted that the principal spoke disparagingly about township schools and did not hide her prejudice against them.
The panel also heard how the principal kept on reminding black pupils that Grosvenor was not a township school and shouted at them to go back to their township schools. The report also found that she instructed staff to recruit more white pupils because “the school belongs to whites”.
On the allegations of financial irregularities, the panel found that the school squandered R3.4 million and recommended that the principal be held responsible for financial misconduct and be charged by the department.
The principal was found to have employed staff to be paid by the school governing body without its knowledge. The report also found nepotism after the school irregularly hired family members of one staff (member) without qualifications.
The report recommended the review and termination of all the contracts of employees who were irregularly employed.
“The report leaves no room for doubt that its findings are based on credible and verifiable evidence tendered by various people. In this situation, I have decided to accept all the recommendations and referred the report to the head of the department for implementation,” said Mshengu.
He said he had instructed the legal services to lay a complaint against the principal with the SA Human Rights Commission.
Daily News