The education department has pleaded with the parents of the children who attend DD Siwisa Primary School "not to jeopardise the future of the children".
The education department has pleaded with the parents of the children who attend DD Siwisa Primary School "not to jeopardise the future of the children".
Amid calls by 150 fuming parents for the closure of the school until a new principal is appointed, education development officer Robin Solwandle pleaded with the parents not to bring the school to a standstill as their children will suffer.
Addressing the parents in the densely packed staff room on Wednesday, he said: "It’s only the principal who’s missing from the school and teachers are here to teach, please let lessons continue while you fight for the principal’s appointment."
However, several parents did not agree that the school is running smoothly and had earlier suggested that the school be closed until a principal is appointed. The previous principal retired at the end of last year, and since then the department of Education was responsible for filling the post. The interview process was concluded in June and since then the parents have requested that the candidate who was recommended to the department by the school’s selection panel be appointed. The parents have given the department until next Friday to appoint the chosen candidate.
Following a complaint by the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), the department held a grievance hearing on Monday which was attended by the trade union and representatives of the selection panel. The department announced during the hearing that the interviews would be conducted all over again and that other candidates are to be added to the shortlist.
Theo Fulani, a member of the selection panel, accused Sadtu of "shifting the goalposts" by testifying during the hearing that the union was acting on behalf of one of the candidates. "Initially, they said they were not acting on behalf of any candidate as they cited procedural flaws but now they claim to represent Gosani [the candidate]who is not even their member," he explained.
"All we want is a principal who can effectively manage the school, which is fast becoming a headless chicken, the school is all over the place," said Fulani.
Vuyisile Kepe, another member of the selection panel who also teaches at the school, said had he known that the grievance hearing was going to unfold in this manner he would not have attended. He accused the department official who chaired the meeting of delivering a "verdict" after hearing the union’s side only and argued that the official is jepeordising the process of resolving the crisis.
The parents reiterated their demand for the immediate appointment of the principal as they argued that the school staff is disorderly and that no lessons are taking place. Kepe admitted that no lessons had taken place at the school during the third term as the staff had been attending meetings in the principal’s office. The meeting cast a vote of no confidence in the school’s governing body (SGB) – which was absent from the meeting despite being invited by the acting principal. The meeting accused members of the SGB of lacking integrity and being "inactive". A new SGB was elected with Ward 6 councillor Zonwabele Mantla presiding over proceedings while Solwandle was keeping the vote count.
Attempts to obtain comment from the Sadtu local secretary, Thembile Matiwane, had not been successful at the time of going to print.
