Department of Education meets with protesting parents in eMbalenhle
“Our learners need to be critical thinkers who will turn and convert our natural resources in to sound economic growth,” says spokesman for the department.
Delegates from the Mpumalanga Department of Education met with Thomas Nhlabathi Secondary School parents and the School Governing Body (SGB) after classes were disrupted on Monday morning, July 25.
The parents were protesting against compulsory mathematics and science subjects.
Parents demanded the school stop forcing learners to do maths and science subjects.
They claimed the forced subjects are causing their children to drop out of school.
Learners were told to return to their homes until the Mpumalanga Department of Education MEC, Bonakele Majuba, has attended to the parents’ grievances.
Richard Ndzukula, the school governing body chairperson, said the parents want the department to add other subjects to accommodate those learners who cannot perform in maths and science.
“We are neither saying we don’t want maths and science nor are we demanding that it be taken out of the school.
“We just do not want it to be forced onto our children.
“Learners must not be pressured into these subjects,” said Ndzukula.
According to him, the dropout number is too high in Thomas Nhlabathi Secondary School.
“We engaged the school management, and circuit office and even wrote to our district offices but did not receive a response,” said Ndzukula.
Teaching and learning resume on Tuesday, July 26 after the Mpumalanga Department of Education met with the SGB.
Jasper Zwane, the department spokesperson, said after the meeting, everyone was clear on how to proceed.
Zwane said there is a secondary school about 1km from Thomas Nhlabathi Secondary School that offers other non-MSTA subjects.
“Thomas Nhlabathi secondary school is a former Dinaledi school which is now a school focused on maths, science and technology. The department provides such schools with two extra teachers for mathematics and physical science to improve performance, as well as additional resources in science and technology useful for practical experiments.
“We envisage equipping and empowering our learners to contribute significantly to the growth and development of our country’s economy. They will become global players, who will participate meaningfully
towards the realisation of the Mpumalanga, we all want.
“Our learners need to be critical thinkers who will turn and convert our natural resources into sound economic growth.
“Parents were equally concerned about the school’s performance and we agreed that it needs to improve.”
Zwane said the department has undertaken many initiatives and will work with the school to address any challenge that may hamper teaching and learning.
