KZN district's school governing bodies stand by call for parents to keep kids at home

Published Jun 25, 2020

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Durban – School governing bodies (SGBs) of the Bayhaven area, near Durban, are in trouble with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for calling on parents to keep their children at home despite South African schools reopening on June 8 after the Covid-19-related shutdown.

Parents and educators are concerned that schools are not safe due to the coronavirus.

The DBE issued a statement last Friday to the chairpersons of the SGBs within the Bayhaven district (Bayview and Havenside), bringing to their attention a statement that urged parents to keep their children at home. 

The statement, which was released by the SGBs' chairpersons on June 11, read: "As chairpersons of the school governing bodies of the following schools within the Bayhaven area: Chatsworth Secondary, Protea Secondary, Southlands Secondary, Merryhill Primary, Summerfield Primary, Oceanview Primary, Fairhaven Primary, Evergreen Primary, Coedmore Primary, Excelsior Primary, Gitanjali Primary and KwaVulindlebe School for the Deaf, we are concerned about the safety of all our learners and educators within our schools.

"We call upon all parents to keep your children at home with immediate effect whilst we are consulting with the Department of Education, principals and teacher unions. 

"It is in the best interest of our children and communities that we heed this call and keep our children at home," said the spokesperson for the Bayhaven schools district, Brandon Pillay. 

Pillay, who is also a member of the ANC regional executive committee in eThekwini, came under the spotlight of the department after this statement was released.

Dr Enock Vusumuzi Nzama, head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, replied: "Your joint media statement dated 11th June 2020 which has been circulating on social media has been brought to my attention. Kindly inform whether this statement has been issued by yourselves."

The head of department then urged the SGBs to retract their statement.

"If your response above is in the affirmative, you are required to immediately withdraw the statement and desist from influencing parents not to send their kids to school," said Nzama.

Speaking to the African News Agency on Thursday, Pillay explained that the allegation made against the SGBs, claiming that they had told parents to keep their children at home, was false and that they merely urged the Department of Education to close schools.

"Later this evening we have learnt of a possible case of a learner in another school. This has forced us as the parent component to reach a unanimous decision to request that the Department of Education closes all our schools with immediate effect," said Pillay in the statement issued on June 11.

Bemused by the breach in the chain of command, Nzama added: "In terms of the Section 16 (4) of the South African Schools Act, it is only the head of department who can close a public school temporarily in the case of an emergency if he or she believes on reasonable grounds that the lives of learners and staff are endangered or that there is a real danger of bodily injury to them or damage to property."

The matter between the two parties is under deliberation and an outcome is yet to be reached. 

To date, KwaZulu-Natal has 5 625 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with a 52.39% recovery rate (2 947 people). The death toll has risen to 92.

African News Agency (ANA)

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