KZN MEC tackles governing bodies

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlungwane has criticised discriminatory school admission policies.

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Durban - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlungwane has taken aim at school governing bodies that discriminate in their admission policies.

Speaking at the pupil admission campaign at Linpark High School in Pietermaritzburg at the weekend, Dlungwane said some school governing bodies developed their own admission policies that were discriminatory and alienated communities.

"School governing bodies must develop admission policies that do not in any way unfairly discriminate against any learner seeking admission to public schools," he said.

"We have been made aware of some incidents in certain schools, where SGB (governing body) members together with SMT (school management team) members develop admission policies aimed at discriminating and alienating certain communities."

Dlungwane said it was important that all students of school-going age should be at school.

"Everything possible must be done to ensure that children of our province, especially those of compulsory school-going age, 7 years to 15 years or Grade 9 - whichever comes first - acquire this constitutional right."

Dlungwane reminded parents that it was their responsibility to ensure that their children were registered and attended school regularly.

He also urged officials to ensure that children were placed at schools.

"According to section three of the South African Schools Act, every member of the (provincial) executive council must ensure that there are enough school places so that every child who lives in his or her province can attend as required by subsections one and two," he said.

The department has faced financial troubles in recent times, with most of its R45 billion budget going to salaries, leaving little for the construction of new schools and maintenance.

He also urged the parents not to wait till the last minute to register their children for the 2017 academic year and pointed out that all schools must have completed admissions by October 31 this year.

"This is very important. Remember, we said the first day of the 2017 academic year must be about teaching and learning and nothing else."

Thekegelo Moleme, the head of policy and research at the National Congress of School Governing Bodies, said it was "not possible" for the governing body and the department to differ on policy issues.

"In the SGB, it's not just community members: the principal is there in his capacity (as a representative of the department), there are teaching staff, there are non-teaching staff that sit on the SGB."

He said the principal ensured that the department's policies were not contravened and amendments were communicated to the department.

The Mercury