eMBALENHLE – Parents of Roodebank Combined School have raised concerns over the safety of their children at the school.
This came after one of the learners was captured on video in which he told his parents about bullying.
The learner also told his parents about two teachers who had fought in the classroom in their presence recently.
The disgruntled parents decided to stop learners from going to school until the Department of Education has intervened.
It is alleged that the biggest problem at the school is that three teachers are apparently fighting for the principal’s position.
The parents blamed and accused the acting principal for the chaos at the school.
They said she is hungry for power and that she is dividing the school governing body and the teachers.
“The school is not safe for our children anymore. The teachers are fighting among each other in the presence of the learners and the learners are now also fighting each other.
“They learned it from them.
“We tried to intervene and called a meeting, but I was assaulted by one of the teachers at the meeting.
“We are calling on the Department of Education to intervene because the circuit has failed us,” said a parent.
The parents said many things have gone wrong at the school after the arrival of the acting principal.
Also read: Only two learners attend school on 17 May at Roodebank Combined School
They claimed the school governing body’s (SGB) elections were unfair and that the acting principal was allegedly visiting parents to campaign for her preferred candidates to be elected as SGB members.
It is alleged that she tried to bribe parents to assault a teacher and to make sure that the strike was over.
“I made it a point to put her on the loud speak so other parents could hear what she was saying,” said a parent.
“Everybody heard when she said she would buy cold drink for or pay money to parents to be on her side.”
The parents said they have a lot of information and evidence about the acting principal’s behaviour.
Learners said the bullies tied a rope round their necks and assaulted them.
They said the bullies are known, but nobody wants to take action against them.
The Ridge Times contacted the Department of Education several times, but did not receive comment.
