Education protests erupt in Polokwane

A group of disgruntled parents reportedly stormed the offices of the Department of Education yesterday (Thursday) in reaction to the department’s failure to place their children in Polokwane schools. Police apparently had to escort parents off the terrain after they had reportedly become hostile. The reason for their behaviour was the alleged failure of a local school to admit their children.
They pulled a sliding entrance gate to the premises off its hinges, overpowered an unarmed security guard and forced their way to MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe’s office.
The protesting parents said the department had been sending them from pillar to post in their quest to have their children registered in schools and also complained that children who had reportedly been enrolled at schools, and for whom uniforms had been bought, were upon reporting to the schools told that the children’s names were not on the lists or that the child was refused admission on grounds of the school being full.
A parent who could not pay school fees was allegedly denied admission at three schools where she had been referred by the circuit. However when a friend went on her behalf she was informed that they still had space and she was given the required form to complete.
Other parents said they had provided all the required documents but were still waiting for placement.
Most of them take off from work to queue at the department’s circuit office, many having already tried directly at schools to be admitted, but in vain. Parents have been streaming to the circuit office of the department since last Monday and the numbers arriving every day have not subsided, with new people still joining the queues every day.
On Monday Polokwane Observer was told by a parent, who has been to the circuit office twice before, that she saw the queue was too long, and that she would not be assisted that day. “I then went back home, and decided to come very, very early on Tuesday.”
Naledzani Rasila, Head of Communications of the Department of Education confirmed the incident yesterday, saying there was a problem with school admissions, but it was in Polokwane only. He could not give the number of children who have not yet been admitted saying new people come to the circuit offices in Polokwane daily and the number keeps on increasing. “The number on the list is about 100 now,” he said.

TVET College student protest

Spokesperson for the Capricorn College for Further Education and Training (TVET) Tumelo Marobe said students protested peacefully at the college yesterday following a call by the South African Further Education and Training Student Association to students to disrupt operations at TVET colleges.
Some 15 out of 50 TVET colleges countrywide were reportedly shut down yesterday as a result of unresolved issues with the Department of Higher Education.
According to Marobe the students protested about the late release of certificates, pending results, rising fees and inadequate funding for students from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. Other issues include unqualified lecturers and late payment of allowances for accommodation and transport.
More colleges are expected to close down in the coming weeks, according to Yonke Twani, president of Safetsa who reportedly warned that all 265 campuses of the 50 colleges would be shut down.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande appealed to organisations representing students to have discussions with his department and with the administrators of the colleges to resolve issues. In a statement posted on the department’s website he conceded that the colleges had a long way to go before they were “at peak performance”.

South African Democratic teachers’ Union (Sadtu)

Teachers affiliated to the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) earlier this week threatened to embark on a protest march against the provincial education department on 26 January. They cited the late delivery of stationery, better working conditions and the non-payment of teacher since April last year as reasons.
Sadtu Deputy Secretary in Limpopo Sowell Tjebane said the union is awaiting all its applications for the march. The union plans to march to the Premier’s Office as well as the Department of Treasury. Tjebane said the union will call for a provincial shutdown.

Story: Nelie Erasmus
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