#stopracismpretoriagirlshigh: Many girls feel ‘oppressed’

Published Aug 29, 2016

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Pretoria - Former pupils at Pretoria Girls High are among those who have come out to condemn racism at the school on Monday morning.

Members of the ANC Youth League in Tshwane are also there, while students from the University of Pretoria are scheduled to march to the school on Monday afternoon.

This comes after pupils staged a protest against racism at the school, including a policy that requires black girls to straighten their hair. “This was necessary because the race debacle has been an issue for a long time,” said former pupil Neo Kgobane.

“We should have done something about it. The school needs to step up its efforts in changing some of the rules that have kept many girls oppressed,” Kgobane said.

The 19-year-old said the issue of racism at the school were not just limited to hair, but extended to how they have been instructed to behave. “There are other aspects of institutional racism that we have been subjected to at the school,” Kgobane said.

“We are not allowed to speak in our mother tongue. When we as black girls are sitting together and conversing we are told that we too loud. The things that happen here can have a major effect on how you perceive yourself,” she said.

MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi, who is also at the school to meet with the disgruntled learners and their parents, is also scheduled to speak with the management and the governing body.

Community organisation amandla.mobi has launched a campaign in solidarity with the pupils who are demanding that it is brought to an end.

In less than 24 hours the campaign has received support from over 9 000 people. “We appreciate the MEC's swift response and it is on the shoulders of thousands that he stands with a clear mandate to ensure that the school's code of conduct does not discriminate against black girls,” Koketso Moeti, executive director of amandla.mobi said.

In the petition, the group also called for disciplinary action against teachers and other staff members implementing any racist policy, as well as protection for the pupils to ensure they will not be victimised.

Pretoria News

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