Editor's noteLettersOpinion

A matric farewell should not be a punishment tool

Unhappy parent writes by e-mail: I would like to raise my opinion on the points system which certain schools use/abuse/misuse to keep children away from their own matric farewell.

A matric farewell is there for the children to say farewell to a stage in their life and their school friends.

This has developed into a way to punish children.

Certain schools have developed this totally unfair points system which they now use to punish children. Especially if you are in matric. If you didn’t get the required points, you are just not allowed.

In general, I do not agree on how points are awarded and deducted.

If your child does not take part in sports they do not earn any points. This in itself is discrimination as not everyone can join in sports for various reasons.

Then there are also points allocated if your parent gives money to the school or anything of non-monetary value. Again not everyone is in a position to be able to.

Points are deducted by teachers, depending on the mood they are in. If the teacher does not like the child it is just so much quicker and easier for him/her to deduct points.

My child was even told to go and clean classrooms to earn points.

Children are degraded and have to clean classrooms to attend an event that should be theirs to enjoy in any case.

If a child is a problem, surely there are other ways to discipline the child.

A matric farewell is for the matric pupils and should not be a punishment tool.

The schools have in any case hijacked it.

It is turned into an event for speeches and all the favourites to be singled out and put on a pedestal for the last time. Surely this is what the awards evenings are for.

A matric farewell is for the children. The teachers are the ones who should only be allowed on invitation. It is not their night. They can have their own separate year end function.

And yes, I have a child in school. And yes, my child has enough points to attend the farewell.

Also read:

Brakpan polisie sal nie boeliery in skole duld nie

Pa lieg oor kind (14) se dood

Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.

Related Articles

Check Also
Close
Back to top button