Parents and SGB want acting principal of Boys High gone

Angry parents of High School for Boys Potchefstroom and members of the school’s School Governing Body (SGB) got together today (15 March) at the school  to protest against the acting principal, Carel Meyer.

“Meyer must go!” The crowd of almost 50 parents chanted demanding his resignation. 

The gathering was arranged by the SGB after Sello Cele, Vice Chairman of the SGB, had posted a Facebook message urging, parents not to take their children to school. In the message, Cele wrote “On Monday parents are advised not to take their children to school. There won’t be schooling on Monday.” In the message, he also stated “Parents of learners in Potchefstroom High School for Boys are resolute that the Acting Principal must be shown the door. This is based on poor results from Grade 8 to 12.”

This meeting was arranged after a meeting between the SGB and parents over the weekend. Parents wanted to know more about the allegations that the South African Teachers’ Union (SAOU) made against the SGB in February.  One of the allegations against the SGB is that they went against the will of the acting principal and employed incompetent teachers without budgeting for them. According to the SAOU, one of these teachers had the worst results in the school’s history – the Grade 12 learners only had a 61 per cent pass rate and not one learner achieved more than 50 per cent in that subject. The acting principal requested a disciplinary hearing in March 2020 but, to date, the SGB hasn’t provided a date. The media statement also revealed that the SGB doesn’t arrive for interviews with applicants for teaching positions. They are also being accused of not attending meetings to plan the budget. The budget had to be adjusted with the onset of Covid-19 but was never done because, after three attempts, only one SGB member arrived for the meeting.

When the Herald asked Sello Cele, Vice Chairman of the SGB, about the allegations he firmly denied all. When he later addressed the crowd, he told them that the SGB no longer has confidence in the Education Department since they are in “cahoots with the school”. “The school is held ransom by the acting principal who is ill experienced and is running the school like a private farm. We want him out,” said Cele.

Some of the parents have stated their concerns with the low pass rate of the school and said they also don’t trust the circuit manager of education. Two officials, Mpiliso Tyatya and Oupa Sebolai, from the district director of education’s office, acknowledged the furious parents and said there will be answers by the end of the week.

The operational manager of the South African Teachers’ Union (SAOU), Johan Kruger, says the SGB is dysfunctional and is manipulating the parents of the school. They are also acting outside their jurisdiction. “They cannot make decisions on the future of Mr Meyer. Only the department can do that”, says Kruger.