Westenburg Secondary’s principal at home after threatening letters to him
The principal of Westenburg Secondary School, Petrus Monyama, has not been to school since the beginning of the second semester after he allegedly received threatening letters before schools closed for the June holidays.
POLOKWANE – The principal of Westenburg Secondary School, Petrus Monyama, has not been to school since the beginning of the second semester after he allegedly received threatening letters before schools closed for the June holidays.
Even though he is still the school principal, Monyama reports to the department circuit office and not to the school.
In his absence, Bettie Boom, deputy school principal, is managing the school.
Monyama did not want to comment on the matter and referred Review to the department of education for comment, but he did confirm that he reported to the circuit office after he received threatening letters.
“I am still the school principal, but for now the deputy principal is in charge until the department decides otherwise,” he said.
Some of the parents are not happy with this arrangement and say that the school must have a full time principal on duty.
“We appreciate Bettie Boom and she is doing a good job running the school, but she is also a teacher and cannot give her full attention to monitoring the learners, teachers and other activities that a principal needs to manage to ensure discipline and order at the school. Last week a teacher sent a learner to go and buy him a quart of beer during school hours. The learner was caught and it came out that he was sent by a teacher who allegedly had a hangover from partying the pre-vious night,” an angry parent said.
Another concerned parent said there is no control at the gate.
“There is no one at reception, so if a person is not seen entering the gate, that person can go around the school premises without anyone knowing. This is dangerous. What if someone comes and hurts one of our children,” the parent said.
Review contacted the chairperson of the school governing body (SGB), Eugene Lyle, and Boom for comment on the matter, but none of them were available for comment after several attempts.
By the time of going to print the department of education had not given comment on the matter.
