Eldorado Park pupils left idle after teachers down tools, investigation ordered

Published Feb 23, 2018

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Almost half of the 1600 pupils from Eldorado Park Secondary School have not being taught, after 22 union-linked teachers abandoned classrooms.

The lack of supervision in the classroom has turned out to be a recipe for disaster as pupils loiter around the school while others engage in violence. Last week, two Grade 11 boys stabbed each other with a pair of scissors inside the classroom in front of their cheering classmates.

The fight was recorded on a fellow pupil’s cellphone. The footage shows a pupil stabbing another twice in the face as others try to intervene while others cheer them on. Seconds later, the stabbed pupil is seen angrily leaving the classroom with blood oozing from his face.

In another incident a few weeks ago, a pupil attacked the deputy principal with a chair and a table after she managed to duck a brick the pupil had thrown at her. The pupil was being reprimanded for wearing earrings.

The teachers’ exodus began in November when the school governing body (SGB) raised concerns about teachers affiliated to SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) using the school’s classrooms for union meetings. Strict access control measures were then implemented.

“The teachers retaliated by confronting the security and swearing at him. One of the teachers even used his car to block access to the school and not to allow staff and pupils to go inside.

“Police had to intervene. Eight Sadtu teachers later decided to leave the school and only reported to the district offices in Pimville for the rest of the term. We were only told this after two weeks,” said SGB member Victor Molahloe.

When schools reopened this year, the SGB wrote letters to various government structures requesting their intervention. Two weeks ago, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi held a meeting with parents and staff, and gave the school the go-ahead to conduct interviews to replace the eight teachers. Five replacements started working last week and three others are expected to start soon.

However, last week 14 more teachers left the school. It’s alleged that teachers from four other schools in the area have joined in the protest in solidarity with the 22 teachers from Eldorado Park Secondary School.

The 22 teachers have an average of 40 pupils per class, which translates to about 880 pupils not attending to a subject. The school, which has around 45 teachers, had a 89% matric pass rate last year and 96% the previous year.

Parents and the SGB believe the protest was instigated by Sadtu members who want to destabilise and take over the schools in the area in what is termed Operation Vat Alles (Afrikaans for “take everything”), which began at the troubled Klipspruit West High School last year.

“This is sad because the safety of pupils is compromised as there is nobody to supervise them. Sadtu wants to cause divisions by attacking principals and take control over Eldorado Park. The absconding teachers are even sending SMSes to pupils to instigate disharmony,” said Molahloe.

Sadtu Gauteng secretary Tseliso Ledimo said he was only aware of the initial eight teachers, who he said left the school after getting threats from the principal.

“We were told that he threatened to stab them, and they have been receiving trauma counselling at the district offices. There is an intention of taking them back to the school once they are emotionally fit to return. The matter is still under investigation within the department,” said Ledimo.

Regarding the Operation Vat Alles allegations, he said: “It’s unfortunate to hear that because we have not made any resolutions to take over anything.”

Gauteng Education Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said he knew of only eight teachers who were not reporting to the school because of victimisation.

“The MEC visited the school and appointed an investigative body to probe, among others, allegations against the SGB, principal, district office and the eight teachers. We await the report.

“It was agreed that, while waiting for the finalisation of the investigation, the school was empowered to find replacement teachers to teach in the interim. We can confirm that about five replacement teachers were appointed and are teaching. The school must finalise the appointment of other replacements,” Mabona said.

During debate on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament, DA leader Mmusi Maimane pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa to end Sadtu’s alleged state capture, which he said was contributing to the poor standard of education at schools.

“There is no single reason for the failure of our school system. But if we were honest, we would acknowledge the role of Sadtu in it. Minister Motshekga’s ministerial task team found that six out of nine provincial education departments have been captured by Sadtu bosses, and that education is failing in these provinces because of Sadtu’s toxic influence.

“And so your first tough decision, Mr President, is to end state capture by Sadtu - the same powerful and militant union that helped you rise to the presidency of the ANC,” said Maimane.

@lindilesifile

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