A concerned parent whose child attends Oceans Private School in Randburg has expressed frustration over what she said has been a lack of teachers for most of the current school term.

According to the parent, her Grade 11 daughter has struggled with limited learning time, leaving her worried that the academic disruption might affect her daughter’s year-end performance or even force her to repeat the grade.

Read more: Career Day inspires Oceans Private School learners

The parent also claimed that there had been very little communication from the school regarding the situation. “I have not received any proper explanation about what is happening. I am very worried because my child says some subjects have not had teachers for weeks,” she said.

When contacted for comment, the school’s principal, Lionel Nitu, confirmed that there had been a temporary shortage of teachers, which he attributed to staff underperformance and a delayed recruitment process.

“We did have a performance review, and unfortunately, some of the teachers’ performance was not up to standard,” said Nitu. “Although they were given several warnings, the board of directors decided to implement a new strategy to recruit new teachers. That created a bit of a vacuum for a couple of weeks.”

He explained that while the school expected the hiring process to move quickly, it took longer than anticipated, leading to some classes being left without regular teachers for a short period.

“Other teachers were given extra loads just to cover until we had full staff capacity,” Nitu added. “It was due to the underperformance of certain teachers that led to that situation.”

Also read: Classroom receives a new look at Oceans Private School

The principal acknowledged that the disruption affected learners, particularly those in Grade 11 who were preparing for exams. To reduce the impact, the school reviewed its assessment process.

“We looked at the content that learners received and decided to trim the examination sessions to focus on what was covered,” he said. “It’s not a full exam for all the terms, but this way, we can make sure learners are not disadvantaged.”

When asked about the alleged lack of communication, Nitu said the school had attempted to inform parents through email and WhatsApp messages.

“We responded to emails and sent out a memo explaining the situation,” he said. “I will check again with my administrator to ensure that all parents have received it.”

The principal assured that the school is working to fill all teaching positions and restore normal learning as soon as possible.

Parents are encouraged to contact the school administration for any updates or concerns regarding their children’s academic progress.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!