DURBAN - THE EDUCATION Portfolio Committee in KwaZulu-Natal is concerned about allegations of fighting among teachers at a school in Zululand and now plans to visit the area to get to the root of the problem.
“The Portfolio Committee has taken it upon itself to physically inspect the school in the Zululand district after reports of educators fighting among themselves and in front of the pupils,” said the committee.
The committee will undertake this oversight visit on Saturday.
“The reports about this school are appalling; it is beyond anyone's imagination that educators who we know should be an exemplary example to our children would do such”, said Sifiso Sonjica, the chairperson of the committee.
He said the committee had decided to conduct an oversight visit to the school after disturbing incidents were reported to it.
He said there had also been reports from the community that resources at the school are strained and that there is also a shortage of teachers.
He said there had been unconfirmed reports of lack of basic necessities including water and electricity and that the school only had five teachers and 13 classrooms for 150 pupils.
IFP Education spokesperson Thembeni KamaDlopha-Mthethwa said she had alerted the committee to the challenges at the school and would only be able to speak more on the issue after the visit.
While the committee mentioned a visit to one school, Dr Imran Keeka, the DA education spokesperson, said the committee had received complaints regarding two schools in the district and he expected that oversight visits would be conducted at both of them.
THE MERCURY