Johannesburg - Another North West school racism storm has led to results of learners at Hoërskool Stilfontein being verified following allegations that black children were failed because of their race.
The Star can also reveal that the failed learners were given transfer letters when they received their reports in December last year.
“There was no explanation from the principal on why our children got transfer letters and why they failed, some with only one or two points a subject. Our children have only started speaking out on a lot of things that are happening at the school now,” said one parent.
Teaching and learning was disrupted over the past few days and marred by chaos when parents stormed the school and removed their children from classrooms on Monday. Schooling continued smoothly on Tuesday.
North West MEC for Education Sello Lehari appointed a committee to verify the results. It started work shortly after a meeting between Lehari and unhappy parents and their children at the school on Tuesday.
Most of the learners affected are in grades 10 and 11. Last week, a photograph showing racial segregation in a Grade R classroom at Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke School, also in the North West, was met with anger.
Lehari announced that a task team had been appointed to investigate racism in all schools in the province.
“We have set up teams and committees. We are going to go deeper in the entire province. Come May or June, we will be done with investigations into racism in schools in the province.
“We are on top of the issues,” added Lehari.
Angry parents said some of the learners at Hoërskool Stilfontein were failed due to absenteeism.
While some continued with lessons yesterday, a large group, that had disputed their year-end results, waited to be interviewed by committee members.
Although there was a large presence of police, the situation remained calm.
“My daughter was failed because teachers said they recorded high number of days absent from school. That cannot be right.
“Is the school saying that black children are not smart? That is racist,” said a parent of a Grade 11 learner.
He said his daughter had told him that they were not allowed toilet breaks when classes were in session.
“When nature calls there is no limit on the time you will spend in the toilet. Children sign a register at the gate and if they are late for class, they are marked absent.
“We want to see all of those registers being reviewed,” said the parent.
Another parent said her daughter had problems with a geography teacher. She said learners were marked absent if the teachers arrived in class before them.
“Our children cannot continue learning under such circumstances,” she said.
The Star saw a Grade 10 learner who was booted from class for allegedly making a noise yesterday. She spent hours sitting in the administration block while some continued with lessons.
“This is what our children have to go through every day. Why is she not punished after school instead of making her miss lessons?” asked a parent.
School governing body chairperson Vhusani Mphigalale said there was no proof that there was racism.
“Learners are claiming that they are treated based on the colour of their skin and raise the issue that 100% of our staffing is white people,” Mphigalale said.
The Star on Tuesday reported that the community and parents of learners at Eldorado Park Secondary School in Johannesburg were refusing to allow in seven black teachers who accused the community, school and parents of racism.
Meanwhile, Roedean School (SA) has suspended its principal Murray Thomas amid allegations of racism.
Although board chairperson Audrey Mothupi did not give more details, the school has had to cope with a number of racism allegations.
Last year, Thomas announced that black teacher Tshidi Mogodiri would be leaving the school. She was re-employed. Grade 9 pupil Avela Swana wrote a poem regarding the mispronunciation of names at the school last year.
“Your mispronouncing my name validates the fact that I am, in fact, still a black girl in a majority white school,” she wrote, much to the anger of several teachers.
DA North West premier candidate Joe McGluwa said the allegations must be investigated.
“No child should be unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged based on the colour of their skin.”
@smashaba