Eldo parents and learners unhappy with dept’s decision
Various parents said their children reported to them daily that female teachers leave Prinsloo’s office in tears and found it very upsetting. Children love their teachers.
Parents and learners of Hoërskool Eldoraigne gathered on Tuesday morning, to hand over a petition to the South African Teacher’s Union (SAOU) to express their dissatisfaction over the return of the school’s principal.
The principal, Dr Anton Prinsloo, resumed his position last week Wednesday, after an absence of three months while being investigated by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) for the alleged bullying of children and female teachers.
“Stay away from our children, and stay away from our teachers. Period,” one of the parents said.
“We are concerned about what is transpiring at the school. How can we expect teachers to take good care of our kids if they are being bullied? It rubs off on our kids, children love their teachers.”
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Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said this week “the investigation officers could not find anything of substance and as such the matter has been finalised. Subsequently, the department instructed that the principal must return to the school.”
Parents told Rekord that two instances were reported to the GDE where learners were involved.
“We were informed by the parents committee that the GDE could not find any evidence to prove the cases, however, just because there is no evidence does not mean there is no case.
“We don’t need to know the detail of those two cases, we can see and hear,” another parent said.
Another parent said “[Prinsloo] must just go, we don’t want him here”.
Prinsloo was provisionally transferred to the district office earlier in the year when the GDE investigated complaints about his alleged conduct.
After the petition was handed over Chris Kloppers, the CEO of SAOU addressed the parents committee and governing body in the hall while deputy principal Dave du Plessis addressed the learners and rest of the parents outside.
He requested parents and learners to allow the process to follow its course and focus on academics and remain positive.
Parents were informed by the parents committee of the school governing body that SAOU indicated that it will take the matter further.
The governing body also threatened to approach a court of law with an urgent application to have the GDE’s founding reviewed.
Rekord has attempted to get comment from Prinsloo who instead directed us to the deputy principal, Du Plessis.
Du Plessis said the school “cannot say anything about the process the department followed as we have absolutely no control over any of that”.
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